Gulf of Guinea Focus: Week 6
- Agwe Global
- Feb 12
- 5 min read
Ghana is set to host a High-Level Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security from January 29 to 30, 2026, as part of renewed efforts to address pressing security challenges across the sub-region. The conference, which be held in Accra under the auspices of President John Dramani Mahama, will bring together senior government officials, ministers, and Heads of State and Government from across the region. It will begin with meetings of senior officials and ministers before culminating in a summit of regional leaders. A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said discussions will focus on key security and governance concerns affecting the region, including terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, and maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. Leaders are also expected to deliberate on the evolving security and humanitarian situation, review existing peace and security initiatives, and explore practical and sustainable frameworks to strengthen regional cooperation.
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The Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy has intensified strategic engagements with key maritime stakeholders and major Oil Exploration Companies. The engagements are aimed at securing Nigeria’s blue economy and achieving national production targets. The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, led the engagements, which continued with a broader stakeholders’ meeting, 28 January 2026, focusing on addressing security threats to critical maritime and economic assets. A major highlight of the engagements was the collective resolve by the Nigerian Navy and industry partners to support the Federal Government’s production target of 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd). Stakeholders agreed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate is achievable if all parties synergise efforts to eliminate crude oil theft, sabotage, and operational disruptions. Rear Admiral Ibrahim emphasized that the Navy’s primary responsibility is to provide an enabling secure environment, noting that maritime security remains a shared responsibility between the Navy and industry operators.
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Leaders of West African countries have agreed to establish a structured and permanent framework for regional cooperation to confront the rising threat of terrorism, transnational crime and governance challenges across the sub-region. The resolution was reached at the end of a two-day Consultative Conference on Regional Cooperation and Security held in Accra, Ghana, from January 29 to 30, 2026, bringing together Heads of State and Government and senior representatives from across West Africa. The meeting was chaired by John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s President, with Julius Maada Bio, Presidents of Sierra Leone and Joseph Boakai of Liberia leading their respective national delegations. Other participating countries included Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. Senior officials responsible for foreign affairs, defence, security and intelligence also took part, alongside representatives of the African Union Commission, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and civil society organisations. In a joint communiqué issued at the close of the conference, leaders expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in West Africa, describing the region as the current global epicentre of terrorism and violent extremism.
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A lack of investigation into the vessel intercepted with 4.87 tonnes of cocaine may hamper cross-border efforts to track and map criminal drug networks, a Pacific regional security expert warns. The MV Raider is docked under "24-hour security" at Avatiu Port after entering Rarotonga waters under a distress call for engine repairs over a week ago. The multi-purpose offshore vessel sailing under the flag of Togo was intercepted by the French Navy mid-last month - French authorities released the vessel and its crew after seizing a shipment of drugs reportedly bound for Australia. Concerns have been raised regarding why the vessel, and its crew were released without an investigation. According to José Sousa-Santos, associate professor of practice and head of the University of Canterbury's Pacific Regional Security Hub, since the vessel was intercepted in French Polynesian waters "it falls under French legal jurisdiction". Sousa-Santos said French law enforcement was responsible for the investigation as the apprehension took place in French Polynesian waters.
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The Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit has called on private sector companies working in the area of maritime security to deploy a coordinated approach to ensure maximum impact. This was stated in a statement released by the organizing committee after they paid a courtesy visit to Target One Group in Abuja last week. The statement signed by Emmanuel Ukpong, Lead Consultant at Gadfly Consulting Limited, the organisers of the summit were full of praises for Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kennedy Odoeme for the role of his company and other security companies in ensuring security and stability in the Niger Delta region. “We are here to commend you not only for your support and partnership with our summit but most importantly the quiet and revolutionary intervention in the area of pipeline surveillance and maritime security that has saved Nigeria billions of dollars till date. We remember when oil theft and vandalization of pipelines were daily nightmares in the Niger Delta. “Losses due to oil theft reduced our country’s production capacity to sometimes 600,000 barrels per day far below our more than 2,000,000 barrels per day production capacity. The country was haemorrhaging, and our nation was helplessly losing revenue which jeopardized development across all sectors.
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The Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs (DCG) in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, DCG Timi Bomodi, has inspected a fleet of newly acquired patrol boats in Port Harcourt as part of the Service’s ongoing efforts to reinforce Nigeria’s maritime security architecture. The inspection, which took place recently at SeWa West Africa Ltd, Port Harcourt, was conducted alongside the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Eastern Marine Command, Comptroller Anderson Jaja. The visit focused on finalising operational requirements ahead of the immediate deployment of the boats to enhance surveillance across Nigeria’s waterways. According to a press release signed on 2 February 2026 by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Joshua Iliya, on behalf of the CAC, the acquisition of the patrol boats forms part of the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) broader modernisation drive aimed at strengthening enforcement capacity and safeguarding maritime trade routes. Speaking during the inspection, DCG Bomodi said the Service remains committed to deploying modern assets and building strategic partnerships to ensure sustainable maritime operations.
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