The International Law of the Sea and Nigeria’s Maritime Boundary Disputes with Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea

This paper examines Nigeria's maritime boundary disputes with Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in the Gulf of Guinea, analysed through the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The resolution of the Bakassi Peninsula dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon through the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2002 remains one of the most significant international boundary decisions affecting West Africa, yet its full implementation has generated continuing legal and diplomatic tensions. The study employs a doctrinal and case-law analysis methodology, reviewing the ICJ judgment, subsequent bilateral agreements, and the work of the Nigeria-Cameroon Mixed Commission. It also examines the unresolved aspects of Nigeria's maritime delimitation with Equatorial Guinea concerning overlapping claims in oil-bearing offshore blocks. The paper explores how UNCLOS provisions on the exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf, and equidistance principles apply to these disputes, and considers how recent ICJ and ITLOS jurisprudence may influence their resolution. Findings highlight Nigeria's continued challenges in fully enforcing the ICJ judgment domestically and in managing diplomatic relationships complicated by oil resource interests. The study recommends comprehensive legislative alignment with UNCLOS obligations, the establishment of a dedicated maritime boundary implementation body, and sustained diplomatic engagement with affected neighbours. Keywords: UNCLOS, maritime boundaries, Bakassi, ICJ, Nigeria-Cameroon.