The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the Deep Blue Project to vulnerable coastal and maritime corridors across Nigeria, including the Bakassi axis, as part of efforts to strengthen national maritime security and protect critical waterways.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of 492 Advanced Combat Personnel and Capability Presentation of the Deep Blue Project Task Group at the 5 Battalion Army Barracks in Elele, Rivers State.
According to the minister, the planned expansion will extend to strategic coastal areas such as the Bakassi Peninsula, Igbokoda and other vulnerable maritime corridors considered susceptible to piracy, smuggling and other maritime crimes.
Oyetola said the move was aimed at consolidating gains already achieved under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project.
“Building on the significant strides already made, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is currently evaluating strategic frameworks for the expansion of the Deep Blue Project to further strengthen our maritime security architecture in critical coastal areas such as Igbokoda, Bakassi and other vulnerable maritime corridors,” he said.
He explained that the expansion would improve operational coverage, strengthen maintenance systems and ensure maritime security assets remain fully effective in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial waters and coastal communities.
The minister stated that Nigeria had recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters in the last four years due to sustained implementation of the Deep Blue Project and collaboration among security agencies.
He added that piracy incidents across the Gulf of Guinea had declined by more than 70 per cent within the same period.
According to Oyetola, before the launch of the Deep Blue Project in 2021, the Gulf of Guinea was regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous maritime corridors, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of reported global piracy incidents and more than 90 per cent of crew kidnappings at sea during peak periods.
He said the project had transformed Nigeria’s maritime security framework through the deployment of integrated air, land and sea assets backed by advanced surveillance systems and rapid-response capabilities.
The minister linked the project’s achievements to the Federal Government’s broader economic agenda under President Bola Tinubu, stressing that maritime security remains essential for economic growth, trade facilitation and attracting investment into the blue economy sector.
He urged the graduating personnel to uphold professionalism, patriotism, teamwork and respect for the rule of law in the discharge of their duties.
Oyetola also commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Armed Forces, security agencies and training partners for their contributions to the success of the initiative.
Earlier, the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dayo Mobereola, described the event as a demonstration of Nigeria’s “operational readiness, institutional resilience and determination to maintain a safe, secure and economically viable maritime environment.”
Mobereola disclosed that the graduating officers completed 33 specialized training programmes covering multiple operational units within the Deep Blue architecture.
He said the graduates included 232 Maritime Security Unit operatives, 19 armoured vehicle drivers, 13 armoured vehicle mechanics, eight special mission helicopter pilots, eight helicopter technicians, five special mission aircraft pilots, six aircraft technicians, 49 special mission vessel crew members, 28 interceptor boat mechanics, 62 interceptor boat drivers, 52 Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence operators, and 10 Vertical Take-Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Systems operators.
According to him, the personnel underwent advanced operational and security training in countries including Syria, Italy, Swaziland, Australia and Nigeria.
Mobereola further listed key operational assets under the Deep Blue Project to include two special mission aircraft fitted with maritime surveillance sensors, two special mission helicopters, two special mission vessels, eight unmanned aerial vehicles, 16 fast interceptor boats and 15 armoured coastal patrol vehicles.
