President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday described the Nigerian Navy as the most formidable naval force in Africa, declaring that the service had become a critical pillar of national security and economic stability.
The president spoke during the grand International Fleet Review held at the Eko Atlantic City Waterfront in Lagos to commemorate the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary celebration.
The high profile ceremony witnessed the commissioning of three new warships and the official flag off of the Combined Maritime Task Force aimed at strengthening maritime security operations across Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
Tinubu said the Nigerian Navy had transformed remarkably from its modest beginnings in 1956 into a modern naval institution with continental influence and operational dominance.
According to him, the service had recorded significant victories against piracy, oil theft and maritime crimes through sustained surveillance, intelligence gathering and coordinated enforcement operations.
The president noted that Nigeria’s maritime environment remained strategic to national prosperity, insisting that criminal networks operating within the nation’s territorial waters would continue to face intense operational pressure.
He commended naval officers and ratings for their sacrifices in protecting Nigeria’s economic assets, sea routes and offshore installations.
Tinubu said the Navy’s emergence as Africa’s leading maritime force symbolised decades of professionalism, discipline and institutional growth.
The celebration attracted naval chiefs, diplomats and military delegations from several countries, turning the Lagos waterfront into a display of global maritime cooperation and naval diplomacy.
Highlights of the event included aerial combat demonstrations, tactical manoeuvres, fleet sail passes and exhibitions of advanced naval platforms from Nigeria and allied nations.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said the newly inaugurated Combined Maritime Task Force would enhance regional responses to emerging maritime threats and humanitarian emergencies.
He explained that the task force, led by Commodore Mohammed Shettima, was designed to improve operational coordination and reinforce security within the Gulf of Guinea.
Abbas disclosed that the Navy had successfully trained and inducted 328 marines into a newly established elite combat formation to boost amphibious and rapid response operations.
He also revealed that the service had intensified the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence driven systems to strengthen maritime domain awareness and intelligence capabilities.
The naval chief stressed that collaborative security partnerships among coastal nations had contributed significantly to the Gulf of Guinea’s improving anti piracy profile.
According to him, regional cooperation and information sharing remained central to sustaining the zero piracy status currently being pursued within the sub region.
Among dignitaries at the ceremony was Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who joined other senior government officials and military commanders to witness the naval showcase.
Also present were Senator Gbenga Daniel representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede.
Others included former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, service chiefs, ambassadors, foreign naval commanders, members of the Federal Executive Council and captains of industry.
The anniversary celebration underscored Nigeria’s growing maritime ambitions and reinforced the Navy’s expanding role in securing regional trade routes, protecting energy infrastructure and advancing strategic influence across African waters.