The Federal Government says Nigeria has acquired over 20 capital ships for the Nigerian Navy.
The President, Major General Muhhammadu Buhari (retd), said this in Lagos on Monday during the Nigerian Navy 2023 Presidential Fleet Review, with the theme: ‘Readiness for National Prosperity’.
Buhari, during the exercise, inspected 16 ships belonging to the Navy, as well as partnering naval ships from Ghana and Italy onboard the nation’s territorial waters commending the shipbuilding efforts of the service.
The President said his administration observed an inextricable link between maritime security and economic prosperity, hence, vigorously engaged in the recapitalisation of the Nigerian Navy fleet throughout his tenure.
“We have acquired over 20 capital ships for the Nigerian Navy. These ships comprise offshore patrol vessels, landing ship transport, hydrographic survey vessels, seaward defence boats, and helicopters as well as over 300 inshore patrol vessels and assault craft.
“During this fleet review, I had the honour to commission a new helicopter NN410 manufactured in Italy, NNS KADA, a landing ship transport, built in Sharjah United Arab Emirates, and NNS IBENO, donated by the Peoples Republic of China. I deeply appreciate the donation and mutual military cooperation with our ship-building partner nations for their support, which has encouraged local shipbuilding by the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
Buhari said piracy in the country had reduced significantly over the past seven years culminating in the delisting of Nigeria from the list of piracy-prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau in March 2022.
“I will particularly commend the diligent arraignment and persecution of MT Heroic Idun, sequel to the detection and arrest for attempting to load crude oil, offshore Bonny in August 2022 without authorisation, amongst others. This successful conviction further confirms the Navy’s resolve to protect resources for economic prosperity,” Buhari said.
He said that the efforts of the Nigerian Navy in indigenous shipbuilding in line with the nation’s local content development plan are yielding positive results.
