Combating Piracy and Illegal Activities: Nigeria’s Maritime Security Strategy and Regional Cooperation

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen (CSP), Chief Superintendent of Police, Nigeria Police Force (Marine Section). He is a decorated maritime security expert with over 14 years of service in Nigeria’s law enforcement, specializing in anti-piracy, coastal policing, and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. He has led high-risk operations across the Lake Chad Basin and the Niger delta region, achieving key arrests and disrupting organized maritime crime networks. A certified INTERPOL instructor and recipient of elite training from INTERPOL, UNODC, and the U.S. Department of States, he brings unmatched operational and investigative expertise in maritime crime risk analysis and coastal security enforcement.

Mr. Vongjen holds a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice from Ahmadu Bello University. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Toastmasters International. His community leadership includes public education campaigns on waterway safety and environmental protection. Passionate about maritime law enforcement, he remains committed to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain and enabling safer trade and navigation.

This interview has been authorised for publication by Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen.

We thank you, Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen for accepting our interview with the Saint Pierre International Security Center.

SPCIS: What are the key challenges facing maritime security in Nigeria, and how can regional cooperation help addreess them?

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen: Nigeria faces several critical threats in its maritime domain, including, Kidnapping for ransom, piracy, sea robbery, and human trafficking, Smuggling of arms, drugs, and wildlife, illegal fishing, and oil theft (including bunkering and pipeline vandalism), environmental issues such as aquatic pollution, operational and institutional weaknesses like insufficient law enforcement capacity, inter-agency rivalry, poor governance, limited resources, corruption, and a vast unpatrolled coastline-ungoverned spaces (853 km with relatively few naval personnel).

These issues which are mostly triggered by poverty and loss of livelihood, severely impact Nigeria's economy, discourage investment, and compromise national and regional security.

Regional cooperation is very essential in addressing maritime challenges in Nigeria. This is because maritime security threats are beyond national boundaries, the concerns mostly coincide creating need for alliance among states. Collaborative efforts such as intelligence sharing, joint patrols, creating and funding coordination centers, maritime domain awareness, capacity building, engaging coastal communities by assisting in their means of livelihood (root cause of criminal intent) and harmonizing legal framework for a seamless legal finish.

SPCIS:  How has maritime law enforcement evolved in West Africa and what best practices can be adopted to enhance its effectiveness?  

 

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen: Maritime law enforcement in West Africa has evolved with increased regional collaboration. This has been done by the adoption of international conventions, and the deployment of modern technology.

On a national level, Nigeria on her part keeps on evolving through key initiatives and actions:

I. Strengthening Naval and Maritime Enforcement Capacity. This has been done over the years through the acquisition of patrol vessels and other maritime assets for the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agencies.

II. Establishment of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). This is the regulatory body that ensures maritime safety and standard, prevent pollution, promoting local maritime capacity and enforce shipping standards.

III. Joint maritime operations, which are mostly carried out by the Nigerian Armed Forces (e.g., Operation Tsare Teku and Dakatar da Barawo) to counter piracy, robbery at sea and oil theft.

IV. Legislative and Policy Reforms, this was done through the enactment of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act (2019) – this is a groundbreaking law that provides the legal framework to prosecute maritime crimes like piracy, kidnapping, and smuggling. There has been an Increase in the prosecutions of maritime offenders under this Act, sending a deterrent signal to criminals. Nigeria, through the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) is also trying to create a supplementary act to allow for the transfer of maritime crime suspects and their associated evidence from countries that do not have a legal framework to prosecute these crimes to those with such framework.

V. Maritime domain Awareness Surveillance System, here, the initiatives include the likes of Falcon Eye project by the Nigerian navy and the C4i system by NIMASA. The Falcon Eye provides a real-time surveillance coverage across the Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ). The C4i assists in a seamless information sharing amongst the navy and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA).

VI. Technological and Intelligence Initiative like the Deep Blue Project (I was privileged to be a member of Technical Working Committee), launched by NIMASA in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, this is Nigeria’s most ambitious maritime security project. It includes; Command and Control Centre in Lagos, Special Mission Vessels and Aircraft Armored patrol boats and surveillance drones and Specially trained maritime security personnel with land, air, and sea components.

VII. Institutional Collaboration and Reforms, where Nigeria improved on her inter-agency cooperation among the Navy, NIMASA, Marine Police, Customs, and Immigration Services, to strengthen border and port surveillance, including intelligence sharing and tracking suspicious maritime activities.

VIII. Capacity Building and Training, Nigeria has invested in training naval officers and maritime security personnel, including through partnerships with foreign navies, donor countries and institutions. Examples are the Anti-piracy course in Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Center, jaji, Kaduna, which is sponsored by the Japanese and Danish Government. Regular workshops, simulations, and drills to enhance responsiveness and coordination among maritime stakeholders like those coordinated by the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Program (e.g., VBSS, Crime Scene Investigation Training), the INTERPOL Maritime Security Directorate (Projects AGWE and WATA), the Support to West African Integrated Maritime Strategy (SWAIMS) and the US Department of State International Counter Proliferation Program.

Regionally, over the years, and since maritime threats are transnational, several efforts have been established to improve collective security in the Gulf of Guinea:

I. Capacity Building, Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin have invested in patrol vessels and specialized units. They have also tightened their border security controls and targeted policies have been strengthened and have enacted laws targeted at solving crime issues.

II. Bilateral & Multilateral Initiatives: The following initiatives have been adopted: A Nigeria-Benin Joint Naval Patrol (Operation Prosperity, 2011), the Obangame Express, which is an annual drill by the U.S. Africa Command, the Maritime Domain Awareness Trade-Gulf of Guinea(MDAT-GoG), run by France and the UK, and the Gulf of Guinea(GoG) Maritime Security Program (MSP) by Denmark. These initiatives are focused on information sharing, legal harmonization, building human and technical training.

III. Sub-regional Frameworks: Several frameworks have also been initiated, they include those of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), Gulf of Guinea Commission(GGC), and Maritime Organization for West and Central Africa(MOWCA) in promoting joint maritime strategies and surveillance. Examples are listed below;

a) ECCAS created Central African Regional Maritime Safety Center(CRESMAC) in Congo to coordinate security in Central Africa.

b) ECOWAS developed the Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS), with coordination zones (E, F, G), and the Maritime Regional Centre (MRC).

c) MOWCA established an Integrated Coastguard Network, split into 4 zones with coordination centers in Lagos, Abidjan, Dakar, and Pointe Noire.

IV. Yaoundé Code of Conduct (2013): This is a cornerstone integrated framework, it was inspired by the Djibouti Code and prompted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It was adopted by Economic Community of Central African States, Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), and MOWCA states, it focuses on suppressing piracy, armed robbery, and illicit maritime activity through cooperation in rescue, interdiction, investigation, and prosecution, while respecting state sovereignty. Its implementation structure includes:

a) A Maritime Interregional Coordination Centre (MICC) in Cameroon.

b) Coordination with the existing regional centers (ECCAS's CRESMAC in Congo and ECOWAS's West African Regional Maritime security Center CRESMAO).

This is a comprehensive regional agreement signed by ECCAS, ECOWAS, GGC, and MOWCA to combat piracy and maritime crime. Also to encourages joint operations, rescue, prosecution, and crime prevention, while respecting state sovereignty. That was what led to the creation of the Maritime Interregional Coordination Centre (MICC) in Cameroon, as mentioned above, to coordinate between West and Central Africa.

V. Regional and International Cooperation, where there is thes Nigeria-Benin Joint Naval Patrol (Operation Prosperity) to curb piracy and illegal activities in shared waters which involves active participation in Obangame Express, a U.S.-led annual maritime security exercise involving multiple regional navies. Also engagement with MDAT-GoG, GGC, ECOWAS, and other multilateral frameworks focused on maritime security cooperation, just as I have mentioned above.

SPCIS: What role do public-private partnerships play in strengthening maritime risk management, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea?

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen: Resources, expertise and technology can be utilized from private maritime stakeholders and be leveraged upon in enhancing maritime security. This has been done for instance in my earlier submission on MDAT-GoG role which is a cooperation center between the Royal Navy (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operation-UKMTO) and the French Navy (Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness-MICA Center) in support of the Yaoundé Process, this center has been in operation since 2016. The primary purpose is in promoting and maintaining coherent maritime situational awareness in the Central African maritime areas with the ability to inform and support industries with the aim of contributing to the safety and security of the mariners in the regional maritime domain.

Private security contractors also play a role in risk management in the GoG. Government employ private entities, example is the Tantita Security Service Company engaged by the Nigerian government in the fight against oil pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. Also multinational oil companies involve in surveillance activities. Private contractors have become prominent players in preventing threats at sea and in the coastal zones of the Gulf of Guinea.

Other roles are of the continues capacity building between the Gulf of Guinea states and some private entities especially in the areas of training, supplies of equipment and funding. The INTERPOL and UNODC have been key partners in trainings and equipment donation to the Nigerian navy, Marine police and other agencies in the fight against threat in Nigeria.

SPCIS: How can emerging technologies improve maritime surveillance and security without disrupting commercial activities?

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen: Well, as a maritime law enforcement officer, I have had limitations most times during the cause of operations. Sometimes while patrolling the creeks, I get concerned of what dangers lie ahead of me. This is because of the limit of equipment that I use.

Employing the use of technologies like unmanned aerial vehicles(drones), binoculars, use AI for surveillance technologies especially in satellite monitoring for Automatic Identification System(AIS) can be beneficial.

These tools can enable authorities to monitor vast areas and detect suspicious activities early, and increase respond times.

SPCIS: In your experience, what strategies can enhance regional and international collaboration to ensure safer maritime trade routes in Africa?

Mr. Nandom Philip Vongjen: There are a lot of strategies to be employed for ensuring safer maritime trade routes in Africa. More initiatives for regional collaborations especially the likes of the Yaoundé Architecture should be adopted. Regional maritime governance frameworks should be strengthened. There should be robust information sharing platforms. There should be enhanced joint patrols and operational exercises. National and Regional legal frameworks should be harmonized for a seamless prosecution of offenders. There should be continuous capacity building through trainings, seminars and technical assistance between member states. International stakeholders should assist in equipment donations. There should be an enhanced public-private partnership, shipping companies, port authorities, navies and international organization like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) should be engaged. All these will provide a unified avenue against maritime threat, thereby ensuring safer trade routes.