Nigeria is moving to fully operationalise the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) as part of efforts to strengthen maritime security and combat piracy, crude oil theft, drug trafficking and arms smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea.
The development was disclosed during the opening of the Third Maritime Security Symposium in Lagos, organised by the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies and the Combined Maritime Task Force.
Representing the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Francis Edosa said the Nigerian Armed Forces was working towards deploying Nigerian Navy assets assigned to the task force.
The move is expected to improve cooperation among countries in the Gulf of Guinea and provide a coordinated response to maritime threats affecting commercial shipping, offshore activities and coastal communities.
The CMTF was formally launched in Lagos on June 1, 2026, with Nigeria and other Gulf of Guinea countries participating in the initiative. The task force was established to provide a coordinated maritime security framework for the region.
The African Union has described the CMTF as a standing, ready-to-deploy mechanism intended to support rapid and coordinated maritime security responses. It has also called for stronger intelligence sharing, joint patrols and cooperation among regional maritime institutions.
The task force is expected to focus on several threats, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal maritime activities, trafficking and attacks on critical maritime infrastructure.
Nigeria’s renewed commitment comes as authorities continue to strengthen cooperation with other African countries. Earlier in September, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, called for greater participation by African countries in regional security initiatives, particularly the newly launched CMTF-Gulf of Guinea.
The Gulf of Guinea remains an important shipping corridor for international trade and energy exports. Strengthening maritime security in the area is therefore expected to support safer movement of vessels and protect economic activities connected to the sea.
The Nigerian government and regional partners are now expected to continue work on the operational arrangements, deployment of assets and coordination needed to make the task force fully functional.
