Chiemelie Ezeobi
To underscore the shared commitment between Nigeria and Spain in enhancing maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) waters, Spanish Navy Ship (SNS) BAM FUROR, recently visited the Western Naval Command (WNC) of the Nigerian Navy (NN) in Apapa, Lagos.
The visit was strategic given the role the NN plays as a regional seapower in the fight against maritime crimes in the GoG region.
The vessel and Spanish diplomatic team in Nigeria, were received by the WNC Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, who reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to deepen their cooperation to address security challenges and promote peace and prosperity in the GoG region.
Praising Spain’s proactive engagement in maritime security collaborations within the Gulf of Guinea over time, Rear Admiral Hassan pointed out that Spain’s membership in the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea and its active participation in initiatives like the annual Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS demonstrates a shared dedication to regional stability.
Beyond this, he mentioned the expanded trade collaboration between Nigeria and Spain, noting that the positive trade balance was for the benefit of both nations, just as he expressed optimism for future economic partnerships.
On the part of the NN, he said the recent high-level interactions between the Nigerian Navy and its Spanish counterpart resulted in the recent visit by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla, to Spain, which he noted was aimed at enhancing cooperation in training and military exchanges.
He said: “Very soon, the result of that talk will roll out and I know it has to do with training, shipbuilding, and other military exchanges which are a positive outcome expected from such a visit.
“We will continue to collaborate towards maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, and make all efforts to improve bilateral relations between our two countries.
“I am really happy that things are blossoming between the two countries and we have started stacking up the building blocks one after the other and are making progress.
“Another plus for our relationship is that Nigeria has a positive balance of trade with Spain and the figures for 2023 are very encouraging and we look forward to more trading collaborations.
“Nigeria has been on the positive side regarding the balance of trade with Spain and we look forward to expanding our trade corridor with the country and are also available to help Spain as the need arises.”
Earlier on, the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Juan Sell, who said Spain was part of the European Union’s Coordinated Maritime presence to preserve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, noted that both countries have a common challenge especially in securing trading and other activities at sea.
He said: “Our maritime security is your maritime security too and we are happy to see that collaboration between the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea and other navies is yielding good results.
“We know that the country has embarked on a process of renewal and Spain wants to be part of that process so we are ready to support Nigeria and its Navy. With each visit of our ships to Lagos and Nigeria, we are building and growing a strong relation between the two navies and countries.”
Commending the Nigerian Navy for the leading role it plays in maritime security in the region, he added that the NN was in the right direction and well oriented towards its mission to benefit Nigeria and the region in the long run.
While emphasising the common challenges faced by both countries in safeguarding maritime trade and activities at sea as well as the critical need for collaborative action, he expressed Spain’s solidarity with Nigeria’s maritime security endeavors, while pledging continued support to bolster the capabilities of the NN.
