Nigerian Navy Unveils Activities for 70th Anniversary Celebration
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Navy has announced a two-week programme of activities to commemorate its 70th anniversary, highlighting the service’s transformation from a modest coastal force into what it described as Africa’s strongest naval fleet.
Speaking during an international press conference at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Akinola Olatunde Olodude, said the anniversary celebration would run from May 21 to June 4, 2026, across Lagos and naval formations nationwide.
Olodude, who spoke on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, described the anniversary as a historic milestone for the Navy, which was established on June 1, 1956, as the Naval Defence Force with 250 officers and 11 inherited vessels.
He noted that the Navy had evolved into a major maritime force with operational reach across the Gulf of Guinea and sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to regional peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
According to him, the Navy played decisive roles during the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970 through maritime blockades, amphibious operations and protection of sea lanes.
The senior naval officer also highlighted the Navy’s role in combating piracy and crude oil theft, saying Nigeria had remained off the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy-prone nations list since 2022.
He added that anti-crude oil theft operations conducted in collaboration with other security agencies contributed to a rise in Nigeria’s crude oil production from 1.258 million barrels per day in January 2023 to 1.71 million barrels per day as of April 2026.
Olodude further disclosed that the Naval Dockyard Limited in Lagos had refitted three warships for the Beninois Navy between 2024 and 2025 and is currently refitting three additional vessels.
He said the anniversary celebration would feature an international fleet review, maritime exercises, symposiums, sporting events, exhibitions and community outreach programmes.
Among the major highlights is the June 1 International Fleet Review at the Eko Atlantic Waterfront in Lagos, expected to be reviewed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The event will also witness the commissioning of new naval platforms including NNS MAMBILA, NNS GURARA and NNS OLOIBIRI.
The Navy also announced that foreign naval vessels from the Republic of Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana would participate in the celebration, while heads of African and non-African navies, regional military commands and international organisations are expected in Lagos.
Olodude said the 6th Seapower for Africa Symposium, themed “Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Maritime Security in Africa,” would focus on digital transformation and emerging maritime security threats.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to becoming a highly digitized and networked blue-water force capable of addressing both conventional and emerging security challenges in the maritime domain.
