A Discourse on Nigeria’s Security Interests in the Gulf of Guinea in the Twentifest Century

Abstract

The study discussed Nigeria’s interests in the Gulf of Guinea in the 21st century by pointing out that the region is vital for the country’s economy because of its oil and gas, maritime trade and other resources. At the same time, the region’s wealth from the sea is accompanied by many maritime problems and the current issues are mainly about West African States, Piracy, Foreign Interests from outside Africa, Maritime boundary disputes, the Gulf of Guinea States and poaching. The purpose of the study was to look at the current problems in the Gulf of Guinea and how they have affected Nigeria’s security and economy in the region. The study used political realism to explain the discourse. The theory is useful because it points out that state power, national interests and the lack of global order are key factors in shaping Nigeria’s security in the Gulf of Guinea. The study found that while some maritime crimes have decreased, the main problems of social and economic issues, new criminal methods, legal and operational challenges and the connection between different illegal activities still make it hard to maintain maritime security in the Gulf Guinea. It was suggested that dealing with these issues requires efforts in maritime security, greater cooperation among countries, better governance and law enforcement and addressing the reasons behind maritime crime.