By Folarin Kehinde
ABUJA — The Federal Government has called for stronger collaboration with the European Union (EU) to tackle rising cases of illegal fishing and other maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made the appeal on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the EU Evaluation Mission on the Gulf of Guinea Inter-regional Network (GoGIN II) Project in Abuja. He highlighted that the growing threats of illegal fishing, trafficking, and environmental crimes require coordinated, sustained responses through robust international partnerships.
“The evolving security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea make it imperative for Nigeria and its partners to deepen cooperation, especially in intelligence sharing and maritime surveillance,” Oyetola said.
The EU delegation, led by Stéphanie Vergniault, is conducting an independent assessment of the EU-funded GoGIN II initiative, which facilitates maritime coordination and information sharing across the region.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security, the minister described it as a critical platform for regional cooperation, collective response, and intelligence exchange. He praised the YARIS information-sharing system for improving coordination among maritime stakeholders and stressed the need to sustain and optimise its use.
Oyetola also highlighted Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project, noting its success in reducing piracy and armed robbery at sea in recent years, demonstrating the impact of combining national initiatives with regional and international support.
As the GoGIN II programme nears completion, the minister urged stakeholders to consolidate its gains, strengthen regional ownership, and ensure sustainability to secure the maritime domain and boost economic activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
Vergniault explained that the mission is evaluating the programme’s performance, outcomes, and sustainability, while gathering feedback from stakeholders on the YARIS platform and ongoing challenges in the maritime sector.
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