Nigerian Navy Leads Africa In Vessel Count, Eyes Regional Supremacy

Nigeria’s naval fleet is Africa’s largest by total vessels, comprising 152 units with a combined displacement of 38,052 tonnes.

Patrol vessels dominate, making up 132 units or 97.8% of assets, as confirmed by GlobalMilitary.net.

This strength in smaller vessels suits coastal defense and anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea.

The fleet includes 104 active patrol boats and 35 coastal boats, plus larger assets like 2 corvettes, 1 frigate, 10 auxiliaries, and 1 amphibious vessel.

This setup emphasizes littoral warfare over blue-water projection, with minor vessels accounting for 129 of 143 active ships as of 2026.Nigeria rose to this top spot over the past decade by aggressively expanding to fight piracy and oil theft.

Since 2015, it has acquired over 378 platforms—including 172 patrol boats, 114 rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), and various fast attack craft. Key milestones include dozens of commissions in 2020 and ongoing modernization, growing from fewer than 100 ships pre-2015 to 155 total (143 active) by 2026.

This outpaces rivals like South Africa or Egypt in raw vessel count, despite their advantages in tonnage or firepower.

These assets secure Nigeria’s vast coastline and economic exclusion zone, while aiding West African peacekeeping and counter-piracy. Globally ranked around 50th, the patrol-heavy design excels in constabulary roles but lacks submarines or carriers.

Recent investments in indigenous shipbuilding and surveillance vessels cement its regional dominance.