Assessment of the Role of the Nigerian Navy in Combating Maritime Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

Maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has posed severe threats to shipping safety, crew welfare, and Nigeria's trade environment, making the role of the Nigerian Navy in counter-piracy operations a subject of critical importance. This study assesses the effectiveness of Nigerian Navy maritime security operations in suppressing piracy incidents within Nigeria's maritime domain. A descriptive research design was employed, using secondary data from the International Maritime Bureau annual piracy reports, the Nigerian Navy's publicly available operational statistics, and structured interviews with fifteen maritime security professionals and shipping company security officers. Piracy incident data from 2018 to 2023 were analysed to identify trends in attack locations, methods, and outcomes. Findings indicate a measurable decline in reported piracy incidents within the Nigerian exclusive economic zone following the intensification of naval patrols under Operation Deep Punch II, with successful vessel boardings dropping by approximately forty percent between 2021 and 2023. However, the study identifies persistent challenges including the vast patrol area relative to available naval assets, quick adaptation by pirates to naval response patterns, and limited intelligence sharing between the Navy, NIMASA, and multinational maritime security partners. Recommendations include enhanced regional cooperation under the Yaounde Code of Conduct framework, investment in fast patrol boats with extended range capability, and integration of commercial vessel reporting into a common maritime picture. Keywords: maritime piracy, Gulf of Guinea, Nigerian Navy, counter-piracy, maritime security