The head of the IMO welcomed the newest initiatives to address maritime security concerns in the Gulf of Guinea, along with a recent meeting between Nigeria 's government and representatives of oil and shipping industry organisations.

On 28 May, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Protection Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Navy, the oil industry leader OCIMF, and the shipping industry organisations ICS, BIMCO, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the Nigerian Shipowners' Association met digitally to address the current situation and how to handle the piracy crisis in the Eastern Gulf of Guinea and the regular threats faced by seafarers.

The Nigerian government has worked to create a framework to criminalize and punish piracy and other maritime crimes in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. 

Last year, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law The Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offenses (SPOMO) Act. Nigeria was the first country in West Africa to introduce distinctive antipiracy legislation.

The number of maritime safety accidents confirmed to have occurred in the Gulf of Guinea (West Africa) decreased by 14 accidents in 2019 to 67, down from 81 incidents in 2018. However, the number of events involving kidnapped and missing crew in this area rose from 11 in 2018 to 20 events in 2019, the largest being 151 crew kidnapped/missed in total.

Maritime Business World