Nigerian Navy: Riding the waves for 70 years

I join numerous well-wishers and distinguished Nigerians to wish officers, ratings and civilian staff of the Nigerian Navy (NN) seventy (70) hearty cheers for riding the waves within Africa and beyond in the performance of its statutory military, policing and diplomatic roles. The NN’s 70 years of unwavering excellence, dedication to duty and impactful naval service to our dear country are hereby acknowledged. On June 1, 2026, the NN will be celebrating its 70th anniversary. Since her establishment in 1956, the NN has attained the status of a regional naval force maintaining a strong presence in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Platinum Jubilee, tagged “Seven Decades of Operational Excellence”, will be held in Lagos from Monday, 1 to 4 June 2026. A lot of activities are lined up to celebrate the anniversary, including a biennial gathering that brings together African naval leaders and other maritime stakeholders to strengthen cooperation on maritime security and sustainable ocean governance across Africa’s maritime domain. To this end, the NN is hosting a Sea Power for Africa Symposium (SPAS) 2026 with the theme “Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Maritime Security in Africa”.

The NN began its operations on June 1, 1956, as a naval defence force with a 250-man coastal policing force and a few patrol boats. It evolved to the Royal Nigerian Navy and later became the Nigerian Navy in 1963 when Nigeria became a republic. The NN has expanded to what it is today – a regional navy. The NN made a significant impact, especially during the 1967 – 1970 Civil War, demonstrating its capabilities for naval blockades, amphibious operations and sealift. She has taken part in peacekeeping and regional stabilisation roles in Lebanon, Liberia, and most recently The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Across the continent of Africa, the NN has been approved by the African Union (AU) as the sealift provider for peacekeeping, disaster response and troop movement across Africa.

In order to harness our resources at sea, the NN, in collaboration with other security agencies, is in partnership to clamp down on oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta, resulting in rising crude oil output.

There has been a drastic change in the outlook of the NN through technology with an increasing number of sophisticated warships and a rising number of personnel. Maritime experts have theorised that most governments derive their legitimacy from economic stability, and about 80 per cent of the world’s commerce still travels by sea. The ultimate benefit of the sea is to have a blue economy, which, according to the World Bank, is the “sustainable use of the ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ecosystem health.”

Nigeria established a dedicated Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy – a clear institutional statement that ocean governance is a core pillar of state policy, not a footnote in the transport sector. Furthermore, it was in April 2026 that the West Africa Regional Office for the International Centre for Electronic Navigational Charts (IC-ENC) was unveiled in Abuja, Nigeria.

Leveraging technology can help Nigeria harness the potential of its blue economy – generating revenue, creating jobs and promoting sustainable use of ocean resources. But there will be no blue economy without maritime security. From illegal fishing up to piracy and unsafe waters, insecurity at sea threatens livelihoods, trade and national stability. Stronger coordination, smarter enforcement and faster response save lives – and safeguard prosperity. Safe seas are the foundation of sustainable ocean prosperity.

In order to meet these responsibilities, the NN has acquired several sophisticated warships in the last decade. This includes the hydrographic survey vessel NNS LANA. The acquisition of this vessel has enabled the NN to conduct hydrographic surveys and charting of Nigeria’s waters. This would enable Nigeria to meet her obligations as a maritime nation by providing nautical services and other products required for safe navigation and development of global sea trade. That is why, as a maritime scholar, I see “hydrographic survey as an economic enterprise”.

The naval dockyard and shipyard, which are used for shipbuilding and ship repair, are strategic components of the maritime industry. In fact, the dockyard and shipyard are force multipliers in naval operations. And to reduce the outflow of huge foreign exchange in the procurement of naval ships, the NN has intensified its drive towards local construction of seaward defence boats since 2007.

I salute the NN despite her modest achievements in the past 70 years. But I make bold to say that technology alone does not solve all the challenges of a navy at sea. Why? Technology has its own shortcomings. This will require the NN to increase the level of skilled manpower by elevating their professional knowledge. This is a sure path to bridge the technological gap in maritime security. As the frontier of technology changes, the challenge before the NN is to maintain existing naval platforms in order to attain the required level of operational readiness. So, maritime scholars are asking questions such as: What value will new technology add to the Navy’s capabilities? What benefits are accruable to naval personnel in the acquisition of new technologies?

An enduring strength of the NN lies in its ability to develop and exploit new technologies for maritime security. While all naval personnel must evolve as technology evolves. To this end, we must educate our officers and men to the highest standard. Why do I say so? The effectiveness of our officers and ratings is limited by their level of technical knowledge. In order to leverage technology for enhanced maritime security, it’s imperative that we develop the largest possible body of fully qualified and inherently joint leaders – officers and ratings, who must be educated to a level that brings out leadership qualities in them. By implication, the NN should ensure that her personnel possess sufficient intellectual capacity to meet unforeseen challenges in an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment. The capacity must be sufficient to overcome any challenge to our nation’s maritime security.

The NN should attract and retain men and women imbued with a commitment to selfless service and capable of becoming critical thinkers and experts in the profession of arms. The NN must develop a naval education strategy that values and develops personnel who are of strong moral character and integrity, possess an absolute sense of personal honour, exhibit physical and moral courage, and act ethically as a matter of instinct. While sustaining and advancing our technological advantage in shipbuilding. Happy 70th anniversary and onwards together! Thank you.

Rear Admiral MA Johnson (Rtd)