Maritime crimes pose risks to trade flow, investment – FG

The Federal Government has warned that maritime crimes continue to pose significant risks to trade flows, investment, and economic growth across Africa, stressing the need for stronger maritime security measures and greater adoption of emerging technologies. The warning was delivered at the 2026 Sea Power for Africa Symposium in Lagos, where government officials, naval leaders, and maritime stakeholders gathered to discuss strategies for securing Africa’s maritime domain and supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, said maritime security remains a critical pillar for economic development, noting that almost 90 per cent of global trade is transported by sea. According to him, maritime crimes such as piracy, sea robbery, smuggling, illegal fishing, and trafficking continue to threaten trade activities and discourage investment across the continent. He warned that such criminal activities could undermine the economic benefits expected from AfCFTA, which seeks to create a single African market valued at about $3.4 trillion. “Protecting Africa’s maritime environment is not only a security imperative but also an economic necessity,” Matawalle said. The minister emphasized the growing importance of technology in tackling maritime threats, highlighting the deployment of artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems, unmanned maritime platforms, satellite monitoring, and integrated data-sharing networks as key tools for enhancing maritime domain awareness and response capabilities. He noted that securing shipping lanes, ports, and critical maritime infrastructure is essential to unlocking the full potential of regional trade and economic integration. Also speaking, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said maritime security challenges have become increasingly transnational, requiring closer collaboration among African navies, coast guards, and maritime agencies. He observed that advances in technology are transforming both maritime security operations and criminal activities at sea, making innovation and intelligence-sharing indispensable in safeguarding African waters. Stakeholders at the symposium argued that improved maritime security would help reduce shipping costs, lower insurance premiums, minimize cargo losses, and attract greater investment in ports, logistics infrastructure, and maritime services. They maintained that securing strategic maritime corridors, particularly within the Gulf of Guinea, would strengthen supply chains and facilitate the seamless movement of goods under AfCFTA. The symposium, held as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary, is expected to generate recommendations aimed at deepening technological innovation, strengthening maritime governance, and enhancing cooperation among African maritime forces in support of the continent’s trade and development goals.