The Gulf of Guinea, spanning 6,000 km from Senegal to Angola, faces serious maritime security challenges, including piracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal fishing, and smuggling. These threats hinder economic development and impact numerous vessels navigating the region daily.

According to Sputnik Africa, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has called on the African Union (AU) to establish a joint maritime task force to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea, proposing Lagos as its headquarters.

Speaking at the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to providing strategic sea lift services for AU operations, including peace support, disaster response, and humanitarian missions.

Tinubu also acknowledged the elevation of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism center to a regional hub and welcomed the renewal of the Multinational Joint Task Force mandate in the Lake Chad region.

Regarding Libya, Tinubu highlighted the country’s instability as a major factor contributing to security challenges in the Sahel and emphasized the importance of restoring order. He further suggested exploring an extension of UN Security Council Resolution 2719 for AU Peace Support Operations.