MARITIME SECURITY ISSUES IN THE GULF OF GUINEA

Abstract

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) has gained prominence in global maritime discourse to its rich fishery and mineral resources particularly its huge hydrocarbon resources. It is said to cover a vast and diverse region and it covers approximately 6,000 km of coastline stretching from Senegal to Angola.1 It is an important shipping zone transporting oil and gas, as well as goods to and from central and southern Africa. On any one day, there are around 1,500 fishing vessels, tankers, and cargo ships navigating its waters.2 Nevertheless, the preponderance of resources and significant economic activities in the GoG has brought its attendant maritime crimes such as piracy, illegal fishing, kidnap for ransom, drug trafficking, illegal oil-bunkering consists of the attacking of vessels transporting oil and transferring the oil to the thieves’ own vessel, exploitation of maritime resources engendered by the presence of predators and pollution. These maritime security issues in this area, their causes, effects and their analysis will form the focus of this paper. In analyzing these issues, the paper concludes with an appeal to all the GoG States for unity and joint efforts in combating the problems confronting the economies of these States.