The Nigerian Navy has announced a series of major activities, including the commissioning of new vessels, an international fleet review, and a multinational maritime exercise, as part of events marking its 70th anniversary celebration.
Speaking at an international press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Rear Admiral Akinola Olatunde Olodude, who represented the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said the celebrations would hold from May 21 to June 4, 2026, across Lagos and naval formations nationwide.
Olodude described the anniversary as a historic milestone reflecting the Navy’s transformation from a small coastal force established in 1956 into what he called “a formidable instrument of national power, regional stability and blue-water prestige.”
According to him, the Navy started as the Naval Defence Force with 250 officers, men, and 11 inherited vessels before evolving into the modern Nigerian Navy established by an Act of Parliament in 1964.
He noted that the Navy played key roles during the Nigerian Civil War, United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, and regional interventions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau.
The naval chief also highlighted recent achievements in maritime security, stating that Nigeria has remained off the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy-prone nations list since 2022 due to sustained naval operations in the Gulf of Guinea.
He added that anti-crude oil theft operations carried out with other security agencies have contributed to increased crude oil production in Nigeria.
According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, crude oil production increased from 1.258 million barrels per day in January 2023 to 1.71 million barrels per day in April 2026.
Olodude further disclosed that the Global Firepower Report 2026 ranked the Nigerian Navy as Africa’s strongest naval fleet following recent fleet recapitalisation efforts.
As part of the anniversary activities, the Navy will host foreign naval ships from the Republic of Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana in Lagos.
The celebration will feature an International Fleet Review expected to be attended by President Bola Tinubu, alongside the commissioning of three vessels — NNS MAMBILA, NNS GURARA, and NNS OLOIBIRI.
Other activities lined up for the anniversary include an international maritime exhibition, sports competitions, community outreach programmes, a sea-trip experience for civilians, and the 6th Seapower for Africa Symposium themed “Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Maritime Security in Africa.”
The Navy said it is pursuing a transition toward a highly digitised and networked blue-water force capable of tackling emerging maritime security threats.
According to the naval leadership, the launch of the Combined Maritime Task Force for the Gulf of Guinea and the planned multinational maritime exercise will further strengthen Nigeria’s leadership role in regional maritime security.
The Navy also expects the participation of heads of African and non-African navies, regional military commanders, and international maritime organisations during the celebrations in Lagos.
