West African Naval Chiefs Meet in Accra as Nigeria Leads Security Push

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has joined his counterparts from across West Africa for the Fifth Meeting of the ECOWAS Sub-Committee of Chiefs of the Naval Staff held in Accra from 16–20 February 2026.

In a statement signed by Captain AA Folorunsho, Acting Director of Information, the Nigerian Navy said the meeting brought together senior naval leaders, the ECOWAS Commission Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, as well as directors of regional maritime security centres and representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the EU-African Chamber of Commerce. The Commander of the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) was also in attendance.

Ambassador Musah commended progress made under the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy, citing Operation Safe Domain in Zone E, Operation Anouanze in Zone F, and joint patrols in Zone G. He stressed the need for deeper cooperation to tackle terrorism, drug trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. He also highlighted the importance of engaging landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in efforts against transnational organised crime.

The Commissioner acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership in maritime security, particularly its deployment of the Falcon Eye surveillance system, and urged the committee to address declining water levels in the Lake Chad Basin.

According to the statement, five countries—Côted’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone—have indicated interest in joining Nigeria in operationalising the Combined Maritime Task Force, following approval by the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff. The task force is expected to be launched in Lagos from 31 May to 1 June 2026.

Nigeria was praised for its commitment as host nation of the CMTF, having designated three ships, a helicopter, eight vehicles and a furnished temporary office in Lagos to support its take-off.

The CMTF is envisaged as a rapid-deployment maritime force capable of coordinated regional responses to emerging threats in the Gulf of Guinea, drawing on information-sharing mechanisms within the Yaoundé Architecture.

The statement said Vice Admiral Abbas’ engagements in Accra reaffirmed Nigeria’s central role in regional maritime security and strengthened commitments among participating navies to pursue an African-led approach to safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea and wider West African maritime domain.