Nigeria, UAE Strengthen Maritime Security Partnership In Gulf of Guinea
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to deepening operational collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enhance maritime security and protect strategic trade routes within the Gulf of Guinea.
The CNS made this known on Tuesday during a meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Salem Saeed Alshamsi, where both sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation and regional security efforts.
Discussions at the engagement focused on maritime domain awareness, shipbuilding, naval technological transfer, and coordinated operations against piracy, crude oil theft, sea robbery, and other transnational maritime crimes threatening the Gulf of Guinea.
Vice Admiral Abbas stressed the importance of stronger international maritime cooperation in sustaining regional economic stability and ensuring uninterrupted maritime commerce, noting that increasing trade and commercial activities between Nigeria and global partners underscore the strategic importance of securing the Gulf of Guinea.
Ambassador Alshamsi commended the Nigerian Navy for its sustained operational successes in securing regional waters and protecting critical maritime infrastructure. He particularly praised the impact of Operation DELTA SANITY, highlighting the recent seizure of a large cache of crude oil and petroleum products by Nigerian Navy personnel.
The meeting also underscored the growing partnership between Nigeria and the UAE in promoting maritime safety, regional stability, and confidence in global shipping operations
