The African Union (AU) has formally sought the support of the Nigerian Navy to host a pan-African naval exercise in 2027, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation among African navies and enhancing engagement with global partners.
The request was made by the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, during a courtesy visit to the Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja.
Adeoye said the proposed exercise would serve as a strategic platform to enhance interoperability, build collective capacity, and promote a unified maritime security architecture across Africa.
He urged the Nigerian Navy to sustain its leadership role in continental maritime security, citing its recent recognition as Africa’s strongest naval fleet in the Global Firepower ranking. According to him, Nigeria’s operational experience, institutional capacity, and regional influence make it well suited to host a multinational naval engagement of such scale.
Beyond the 2027 proposal, the AU commissioner also encouraged the Nigerian Navy to consider organising a regional naval exercise involving navies within ECOWAS Maritime Zone E, alongside other willing partners. He noted that such an initiative could serve as a template for future multinational maritime cooperation.
Adeoye highlighted the growing threat of transnational maritime crimes, stressing the need for sustained collaborative operations among African navies. He described the Nigerian Navy’s leadership in the Gulf of Guinea as a model for addressing piracy, illegal trafficking, and other maritime security challenges.
He also commended the Navy for preventing piracy attacks in Nigerian waters since 2022, a development that led to Nigeria’s removal from the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy list, as well as its cooperation with neighbouring navies in the Gulf of Guinea.
Adeoye added that secure maritime routes are increasingly vital as Africa advances the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to integrate 55 economies and facilitate the free movement of goods and services across the continent.
In his response, Vice Admiral Abbas welcomed the AU delegation and reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to peace, stability, and maritime security in Africa. He assured the AU of the Navy’s readiness to examine the proposal for a regional naval exercise involving ECOWAS Maritime Zone E member states under the Combined Maritime Task Force framework.
Abbas stressed that safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain against criminal and illicit activities remains a core priority of the Nigerian Navy.
By Linus Aleke
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