As 2023 draws to a close, it seems appropriate to take stock of the Nigerian piracy situation. In 2023 to date (14 December) three pirate attacks against seagoing ships have been recorded, and two of these attacks were successful. One of the successful attacks was related to cargo theft related, and one was related to kidnap for ransom.
These statistics are a striking contrast to the situation only a few years ago were Nigerian kidnap for ransom spread fear among seafarers off Nigeria and was regarded the number one security issue for the international shipping industry.
Has Nigerian piracy been effectively addressed following the successful recipe used off Somalia a decade ago? In the mid-2010s, Somali piracy was tackled by a combination of onboard security measures (incl. armed guards), international naval presence, effective regional legal processes, and not least tribal leadership opposition to the pirate gangs’ way of life and negative impact on local societies eventually brought the problem under control.
The answer to the question is “well, probably not quite yet”. Still, we are seeing progress in important areas and although there is a clear risk of setbacks there is also reason for optimism.
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