President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared the Nigerian Navy the most formidable naval force in Africa, as the Service marked its 70th anniversary with an International Fleet Review at the Eko Atlantic City Waterfront in Lagos.
Tinubu, who commissioned three new warships into the fleet and flagged off the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) led by Commodore Mohammed Shettima, said the Navy has recorded landmark victories against piracy and crude oil theft through sustained operational pressure on criminal elements in Nigerian waters.
The review, which drew naval chiefs and vessels from across the globe, featured an aerial combat display, a fleet sail pass and a parade of naval assets from Nigeria and its foreign partners.
Speaking at the event themed “Seven Decades of Operational Excellence,” the president said: “Since its humble beginning in 1956 as a colonial marine, the Nigerian Navy has evolved in tandem with our nation’s sovereignty, growing from a fledgling service into a modern, sophisticated naval power and an anchor of stability for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
“I must therefore extend my warmest congratulations to the Nigerian Navy for emerging as the most formidable naval force in Africa. That this historic achievement coincides with your 70th anniversary is no mere accident. Rather, it is a powerful and symbolic alignment which signifies that the Nigerian Navy has not only matured, but has reached a pinnacle of continental leadership.”
He credited the gains to what he described as the effective integration of surveillance systems, rapid response mechanisms and robust enforcement operations, warning officers and ratings that the nation’s maritime domain remained too vital to be taken for granted.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said the CMTF, which received presidential flag-off at the event, would stand ready to tackle emerging threats and support humanitarian operations across the West African sub-region.
Abbas disclosed that 328 Nigerian Navy Marines had been trained and inducted as a new elite unit, and that the service was deploying unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence to sharpen its maritime domain awareness.
“Together, we have collectively advocated for collaborative approaches to maritime security towards ensuring that the Gulf of Guinea has zero piracy status,” he said.
At the event were Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Senator Gbenga Daniel, who represented Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd); National Security Advisor, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu; Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas; and former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (rtd), among others.
Also present were state governors, members of the Federal Executive Council, ambassadors, high commissioners, foreign Heads of Navies and Coast Guards, and captains of industry.
