Maritime security challenges in the African Gulf of Guinea: An assessment of the Nigerian Maritime sector

Abstract

Nigeria is one of the African countries located on the coastline strips of the Gulf of Guinea. The country’s strategic position along the Gulf of Guinea and its natural maritime endowment provides it with enormous advantages to achieve economic development. However, Nigerian maritime sector has been categorized among the worst in the world due to certain challenges facing the sector. The challenges include piracy, poor access roads, pollution, inconsistent policies, inefficiency, corruption, delay of import/export processes, illegal charges as well as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. In consonance with this, the paper has critically
assessed the challenges facing the Nigerian maritime and recommend useful ways to overcome them. The study employed qualitative method by focusing on secondary data. The secondary data were gathered from books, journals, magazines, newspapers, reports and internet sources that were relevant to this study. The findings reveal that the maritime sector is strategically important within the Nigerian economy that would facilitate growth and development in the country. However, multiple challenges bordering the sector prevents Nigeria from achieving economic growth. The study recommends that the Nigerian government shall urgently reform the maritime sector and formulate policies and regulatory frameworks that will ease and attract Foreign Direct Investment.