Onne, 31 May 2022 (TDI): According to the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Nigeria and ECOWAS, representatives of the EU participated in Nigerian Navy’s 66th Anniversary International Conference on Monday.
The event took place at Federal Ocean Terminal Jetty, Onne, River State.
To celebrate the 66th Anniversary of the Nigerian Navy, a series of events has been taking place since May 26. Additionally, the celebration concludes today, with the Ceremonial Sunset and Reunion Dinner, at Nigerian Naval College. It is worth mentioning that the Ceremonial Sunset is one of the oldest and most significant Nigerian naval ceremonies. The Ceremonial usually marks the conclusion of special naval events.
Nigerian Navy is celebrating its 66th Anniversary
The Nigerian Navy had its birth on 1 June 1956. Initially, the navy was established as the Nigerian Marines. But with time flying, it has served the nation in different capacities and fields. Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, the Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff, said that “Over time, the Nigerian Navy has grown from an offshoot of the Nigerian Marines to a formidable component of the nation’s security architecture and a major player in the Gulf of Guinea, GoG”.
Since its establishment, the Nigerian Navy has been contributing to national and regional peace and development. Today, Nigeria’s Navy has made great progress in dealing with piracy and sea robbery attacks within Nigeria’s maritime domain. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the latest International Maritime Bureau report launched on March 3, 2022, shows that Nigeria is no longer on the IMB’s Piracy List. The IMB’s Piracy List also refers to the list of piracy-prone countries. The exit of Nigeria shows the country’s success in enhancing maritime safety.
Nigeria-EU Has Enjoyed Fruitful Maritime Cooperation
Nigeria and the EU have long cooperated extensively on security issues. To combat piracy and improve regional security in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG), the EU and Nigeria mostly work under the European Union-Coordinated Maritime Presence umbrella in the GoG. Moreover, on April 7, 2022, the EU and Nigeria hosted the first-ever Joint Event on strengthening Nigeria–EU Cooperation on Maritime Security.
Furthermore, Nigeria is also working with EU member states on maritime security. For instance, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) LANA, a hydrographic survey ship, joined the fleet from France last year. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy also signed a contract with a French company, OCEA Shipbuilding, for another 35m hydrographic survey ship.
