Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for enhanced collaboration with the European Union to address rising maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea, including illegal fishing, trafficking, and environmental crimes.
Oyetola made the appeal in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the EU Evaluation Mission on the Gulf of Guinea Inter-regional Network (GoGIN II) Project, stressing that evolving security challenges in the region demand a more coordinated and sustained international response.
The delegation, led by Stéphanie Vergniault, is in Nigeria to conduct an independent assessment of the EU-funded initiative, which supports maritime coordination and information sharing across the Gulf of Guinea.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security, the minister described it as a critical platform for regional cooperation, intelligence exchange, and collective response to maritime threats.
He noted that EU-backed interventions, particularly the GoGIN II project, have significantly strengthened maritime domain awareness and improved collaboration among national and regional agencies.
Oyetola also highlighted the role of the YARIS information-sharing system in enhancing coordination among maritime stakeholders, while calling for sustained efforts to optimise its use, improve interoperability between institutions, and expand capacity-building initiatives.
Citing Nigeria’s achievements, the minister pointed to the success of the Deep Blue Project, which has contributed to a notable decline in piracy and armed robbery at sea in recent years.
According to him, the progress underscores the importance of combining strong national ownership with regional and international partnerships.
As the GoGIN II programme approaches completion, Oyetola urged stakeholders to consolidate its gains and ensure long-term sustainability through stronger regional ownership frameworks.
Earlier, Vergniault said the evaluation mission is aimed at assessing the programme’s effectiveness, operational outcomes, and sustainability, while identifying lessons to guide future maritime security initiatives.
She added that the team, which includes Captain Alioune Diop, is engaging key stakeholders in Nigeria to gather feedback on the YARIS platform, its contribution to coordination under the Yaoundé Architecture, and ongoing challenges within the maritime sector.
