French Directorate Deepens Maritime, Hydrography Cooperation With NN

On Wednesday 5 March 2025, the Director French Directorate for Cooperation in Security and Defence, Lieutenant General Regis Colcombet paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla at Naval Headquarters, Abuja.

During the visit, according to the official Facebook page of the NN, the Director stated that he was in Nigeria to improve the partnership between both nations in the area of security and defence.

He also extended the warm regards of the French Chief of Naval Staff who attended the Heads of Navies and Coast Guards of Gulf of Guinea countries hosted by Nigeria in November 2024.

The Director went on to highlight certain areas where France-Nigeria security partnership could improve. Some of the areas are maritime exercises, training, hydrography and language skills.

In response, the CNS welcomed the Director to Nigeria and thanked him for making out time to visit Naval Headquarters. The CNS recalled that France-Nigeria relations have been smooth for many years.

The CNS also expressed gratitude to the French Navy for their contributions in successful organisation of regional maritime exercises in the Gulf of Guinea such as Exercise GRAND AFRICAN NEMO and Exercise CROCODILE LIFT.

The CNS also highlighted the fact that since 2022, the Nigerian Navy had successfully eliminated piracy threats in Nigerian waters hence the urgent task within the Gulf of Guinea region was to increase the operational capabilities of other states in the region. While the NN is poised to do her best, the assistance of the French Navy would be beneficial.

The visit ended with a resolve to continue working together to improve maritime security within the Gulf of Guinea.