Nigerian Navy, US Congressional Delegation Deepen Maritime Security Cooperation
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Navy has strengthened its international maritime security partnership with the United States following a high-level visit by a United States Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to the Western Naval Command Headquarters in Lagos.
The delegation, led by Mr. Adam Barker, was received by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Abubakar Mustapha, who reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and supporting regional security initiatives in the Gulf of Guinea.
During the engagement, Rear Admiral Mustapha highlighted the strategic importance of the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC), describing it as a vital platform for enhancing maritime domain awareness through real-time surveillance, intelligence sharing, and coordinated operational responses.
According to him, the RMAC has significantly improved the Nigerian Navy’s ability to tackle sea robbery, crude oil theft, piracy, and other illegal maritime activities. He noted that the capability contributed immensely to the successful suppression of piracy in Nigerian waters in 2022, which led to Nigeria’s removal from the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy list.
The FOC stressed that continued collaboration with international partners, especially the United States, remains essential for advancing maritime security objectives in the region. He added that such partnerships create opportunities for intelligence exchange, technical assistance, and capacity building needed to address evolving maritime threats.
As part of the visit, the delegation toured the RMAC Complex and received a detailed operational briefing on its role in strengthening regional maritime security architecture.
Speaking during the visit, Mr. Adam Barker commended the Nigerian Navy’s proactive efforts in securing the maritime environment and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to sustained cooperation aimed at improving maritime awareness and collective security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The engagement also enabled both parties to exchange views on emerging maritime threats and explore practical areas for deeper operational collaboration.
