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Tag: Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla

  • Nigeria’s waters now free of piracy, oil production boosted, says Naval Chief

    Nigeria’s waters now free of piracy, oil production boosted, says Naval Chief

    The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has declared that the Nigerian Navy has successfully curtailed piracy and maritime crime, resulting in safer waters and increased oil production.

    Ogalla made the remarks on Friday during a Regimental Parade held in his honour at his alma mater, the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, where he also commissioned new projects and addressed students.

    He said the Navy had achieved “undeniable results” under his command, noting that Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) had not recorded a single piracy incident since 2022.

    “Our determination from the onset was clear — to turn the tide against those criminal elements bringing insecurity into our maritime environment. And I am proud to say we have achieved that. The results are evident, especially in improved oil production and the elimination of piracy in our waters,” Ogalla stated.

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    He explained that piracy, oil theft, and illegal refining had long crippled Nigeria’s oil revenues and discouraged investment, but enhanced operations — including Operation Delta Sanity and joint missions with other security agencies — have reversed the trend and safeguarded critical oil infrastructure.

     “These operations have restored confidence in our maritime environment. Oil production has improved, revenues have gone up, and investors can now see Nigeria as a safer maritime hub. That is the strategic importance of the work we are doing,” Ogalla emphasised.

    He added that the fight against maritime insecurity was not only a military task but a national duty, as the protection of Nigeria’s oil assets directly impacts economic growth and national development.

    “The Nigerian Navy, by its mandate, is the guardian of our maritime environment. That means defending the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty at sea. By improving security, we are directly strengthening Nigeria’s economy, because oil is still our major source of revenue,” the CNS noted.

    Ogalla stressed that the successes were made possible by the dedication of naval personnel across formations, whose sacrifices at sea had restored sanity to Nigeria’s waters.

    “I salute the gallant officers and ratings who have put in the hard work. Without their commitment, we would not be celebrating these achievements. Their sacrifices are the foundation of the stability we now enjoy in our maritime domain,” he added.

    He urged continuous vigilance, warning that criminal elements often adapt, and security forces must stay ahead through technology, training, and intelligence-led operations.

    The Naval Chief’s remarks were delivered during what he described as a “deeply emotional homecoming” to NMS, where he said the foundations of his discipline and leadership were built.

    “It is with a deep sense of honour and nostalgia that I stand before you today, not just as the Chief of Naval Staff but as a proud product of this great alma mater. This noble institution shaped the foundation of my character, resilience, and leadership,” he told the students.

    Ogalla commissioned a block of six modern classrooms, each furnished with smart boards and learning aids, as part of his contribution to advancing academic excellence at the school.

    “This intervention reflects my belief that learning must evolve with the times. These facilities will equip the Boys with the tools to excel academically and to prepare for the future,” he said.

    He also inaugurated other projects and pledged to deepen collaboration between NMS and the Nigerian Navy Military School in Ikot Ntuen, Akwa Ibom, to strengthen military education.

    The CNS commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General O.O. Oluyede, for renovating the Boys’ Lines and other facilities at NMS, while also applauding the Ex-Boys Association for sustaining the tradition of giving back.

    For Ogalla, however, the highlight was tying the Navy’s operational victories at sea with Nigeria’s economic rebound, declaring: “We’ve turned the tide against pirates. We’ve improved oil production. And by doing so, we are securing Nigeria’s future.”

    The Commandant of NMS, Brigadier General Owoicho Ejiga, described Ogalla’s visit as “a historic milestone,” noting that it would inspire the students and further cement the legacy of excellence the school has maintained since its establishment in 1954.

    Ejiga said the commissioned projects, alongside other interventions by Ex-Boys and military leadership, would continue to transform NMS into a modern centre of discipline, patriotism, and academic excellence.

  • Naval chief seeks enhanced maritime security to combat threats in African waters

    Naval chief seeks enhanced maritime security to combat threats in African waters

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has called on African navies and coast guards to fortify maritime security across the continent’s waters.

    Ogalla’s appeal aims to tackle pressing security challenges, including piracy, oil theft, and human trafficking, which threaten regional stability and economic development.

    The Navy’s Chief also urged them to take decisive action to prevent oil spills, reduce waste dumping, and ensure sustainable fisheries management to secure long-term food security in the continent.

    Ogalla said this in his keynote address at the 5th Sea Power for Africa Symposium (SPAS) in South Africa, themed “Good Order at Sea in the African Maritime Domain”.

    The event provided heads of African navies an avenue to discuss strategies for safeguarding Africa’s expansive and resource wealth in the maritime domain and highlighted the vital role of maritime security in unlocking Africa’s economic potential while addressing growing concerns over non-traditional threats, such as piracy, illegal fishing, and other maritime crimes.

    In a statement by the Navy’s spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Aliu-Adams, on Friday, October 18, Ogalla outlined the vast resources within Africa’s maritime domain and underscored its potential to generate over USD 405 billion by 2030, including USD 100 million by coastal tourism, with the capacity to create over 57 million jobs across the continent.

    The Navy’s Chief said the sustainable management of these resources was crucial, as they are key drivers of economic growth and food security, emphasizing that Africa’s maritime future is guided by the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), which aims to foster wealth creation by developing an ocean economy within a secured maritime domain.

    He said: “This vision is further supported by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which is projected to increase intra-African freight by 28 percent and demand for maritime transport by 62 percent.”

    Ogalla noted that the sustainable management of these resources was crucial, as they are key drivers of economic growth and food security.

    He emphasised that Africa’s maritime future was guided by the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), aimed at fostering wealth creation by developing an ocean economy within a secured maritime domain. Ogalla said the vision was further supported by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which he said was projected to increase intra-African freight by 28 percent and demand for maritime transport by 62 percent.

    Ogalla also noted that with a significant portion of global trade passing through African waters, maritime activities contribute more than 20 percent of national revenues for some African countries.

    He said: “However, the richness of these waters and the intense economic activities within them expose our maritime domain to a range of non-traditional threats, posing significant challenges to regional stability,” he said.

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    “Addressing these challenges requires a united effort, urging African navies and coast guards to strengthen security architecture across the continent.”

    The Navy’s Chief said Nigeria was a key player in the fight against maritime crime with an extensive maritime domain that includes the Gulf of Guinea.

    He said the Nigerian Navy implemented a Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy, which incorporates a “Trinity-of-Action” approach that combines surveillance, rapid response, and law enforcement, adding that this strategy had helped to remove Nigeria from the list of piracy-prone countries in March 2022, a status he said the country has maintained.

    He highlighted border incentives for maritime security cooperation, noting that securing African waters would facilitate increased trade, attract tourism, and foster economic growth and prosperity.

    Ogalla was accompanied to the event by some principal officers from the naval headquarters.