Oyetola EU maritime cooperation call seeks stronger EU partnership to tackle illegal fishing and maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for strengthened cooperation between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) to address rising maritime threats, including illegal fishing, trafficking and environmental crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

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The Oyetola EU maritime cooperation appeal was made on Thursday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the European Union Evaluation Mission on the Gulf of Guinea Inter-regional Network (GoGIN II) Project, led by Ms Stéphanie Vergniault.

Oyetola said emerging security challenges in the region require a more coordinated and sustained response anchored on international partnerships, noting that no single nation can effectively tackle the complexities of modern maritime threats alone.

He emphasised that deeper collaboration remains essential to safeguarding economic activities and ensuring regional stability.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security, describing it as a critical framework for regional coordination, intelligence sharing and joint response mechanisms across West and Central Africa.

According to him, EU-supported initiatives such as GoGIN II have contributed significantly to strengthening maritime domain awareness and improving institutional cooperation.

Oyetola highlighted the role of the YARIS information-sharing platform in enhancing communication among maritime stakeholders, noting that continued optimisation of such systems is vital for sustained effectiveness.

He also stressed the need for improved interoperability among regional centres and national agencies, alongside ongoing technical support and capacity building.

The minister pointed to Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project as a key example of national efforts that have helped reduce piracy and armed robbery at sea in recent years, describing the initiative as a model that demonstrates the value of combining domestic leadership with international support.

As the GoGIN II programme approaches completion, Oyetola urged stakeholders to consolidate its achievements and prioritise long-term sustainability through stronger regional ownership.

He said maintaining progress recorded under the initiative would be crucial to securing maritime routes and supporting trade across the Gulf of Guinea.

Earlier, Ms Vergniault explained that the EU evaluation mission aims to assess the programme’s performance, operational outcomes and sustainability while identifying lessons for future maritime security efforts.

She noted that the team is engaging Nigerian stakeholders to gather feedback on the effectiveness of the YARIS platform and the broader impact of the initiative within the Yaoundé maritime security framework.

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The discussions underscore a shared commitment between Nigeria and its international partners to intensify efforts against maritime crimes and strengthen the safety of one of Africa’s most important economic corridors.