President Bola Tinubu on Monday declared that piracy had been eradicated from Nigeria’s territorial waters, praising the Nigerian Navy for strengthening maritime security and boosting confidence in the country’s oil and shipping sectors.
The President spoke at the 2026 International Fleet Review held at the Eko Atlantic Waterfront in Lagos, where he commissioned three naval vessels — NNS Oloibiri, NNS Mambila and NNS Gurara — and reviewed a fleet of warships from Nigeria and allied nations as part of activities marking the Navy’s 70th anniversary.
According to a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the newly commissioned vessels joined a growing naval fleet deployed to combat piracy, crude oil theft, illegal fishing and maritime smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea.
Serving as Reviewing Officer at the ceremony, Tinubu linked the Navy’s operations to improved oil production, increased national revenue and renewed investor confidence.
“Through the effective integration of surveillance systems, rapid response mechanisms and robust enforcement operations, you have successfully eradicated piracy in our waters and significantly curtailed crude oil theft and associated maritime crimes,” the President said. “These achievements have enhanced the security of our littoral communities and contributed to increased oil production, thereby supporting national economic growth.”
Tinubu also commended the Navy’s expanding role in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations across the country, praising the Special Boat Service for executing complex missions and expressing confidence in the newly inducted Nigerian Navy Marines operating in conflict zones.
“Indeed, the Nigerian Navy has become an indispensable pillar of both national and regional security,” he added.
Highlighting the strategic importance of Nigeria’s maritime domain, Tinubu described the nation’s waters as a critical economic asset and a major gateway for international trade and foreign exchange earnings.
“Nigeria’s maritime domain, endowed with immense natural wealth, remains a vital pillar of our national economy,” he said, pledging continued investment in modern platforms, advanced technology, personnel welfare, training and capacity development.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, attributed the Navy’s recent successes to sustained government support, strategic investments and enhanced inter-agency collaboration, saying the acquisition of modern platforms and improved surveillance systems had strengthened the country’s maritime security architecture.
He reaffirmed the loyalty of officers and ratings to the Constitution and the Commander-in-Chief.
The event attracted naval chiefs from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, underlining growing regional cooperation against maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea. Delegations from European countries, former Nigerian service chiefs and top government officials were also in attendance.
Established on June 19, 1956, as a branch of the Royal Nigerian Navy under British naval tradition, the Nigerian Navy has evolved into a major maritime force responsible for securing Nigeria’s 830-kilometre coastline and an Exclusive Economic Zone spanning about 200 nautical miles.