The Nigerian Navy has said its sustained anti-crude oil theft operations contributed significantly to the increase in Nigeria’s crude oil production from 1.2 million barrels per day to 1.7 million barrels per day, according to data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as of April 2026.
The Chief of Policy and Plans at Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Akinola Olodude, disclosed this while briefing journalists ahead of the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary celebrations scheduled to commence on Friday, May 22, 2026.
Olodude stated that ongoing naval operations have helped raise Nigeria’s average crude oil output from 1.258 million barrels per day in January 2023 to a five-year high of 1.71 million barrels per day in April 2026.
According to him, the Navy has continued to intensify anti-crude oil theft and anti-illegal refining operations across the Niger Delta in collaboration with other security agencies, in line with the Presidential directive to increase crude oil production to three million barrels per day by 2030, with an interim target of 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.
He added that the Navy, alongside other military services, has remained actively involved in internal security, counter-terrorism, and counter-insurgency operations across the country.
The rear admiral noted that the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service had played a critical role in many of the operations through strategic raids that contributed to operational successes.
Describing the forthcoming anniversary as a historic milestone, Olodude said the Nigerian Navy had evolved from a modest coastal policing force into “a formidable instrument of national power, regional stability, and blue-water prestige.”
He recalled that the Nigerian Navy was established on June 1, 1956, as the Naval Defence Force with 250 personnel and 11 ships inherited from the Colonial Marine Department of the Royal Navy.
According to him, the force later became the Royal Nigerian Navy in 1958 before assuming its present name after Nigeria became a republic in 1963 and following the enactment of the Armed Forces Act in 1964.
Olodude also highlighted the contributions of Commodore Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey, who became the first Nigerian to head the Navy in 1964 and later rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.
Speaking on the Navy’s operational history, he said the service played a strategic role during the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970 through maritime blockades, amphibious operations, and the protection of vital sea lanes.
He further noted that the Navy participated in international peacekeeping missions, including United Nations operations in Lebanon, ECOWAS Monitoring Group missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as stabilization efforts in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
According to him, Nigeria’s contributions to regional peacekeeping and maritime logistics led to the signing of a strategic sealift memorandum of understanding with the African Union in 2025.
Olodude disclosed that the Nigerian Navy had constructed five vessels locally since 2010, including ferries, tugboats, and seaward defence boats.
He said the Naval Shipyard Limited in Port Harcourt is currently building a 27-metre ferry for the Akwa Ibom State Government, while the Naval Dockyard Limited in Lagos is constructing two 44.2-metre seaward defence boats.
The naval chief also revealed that the Naval Dockyard recently completed the refitting of three warships for the Beninese Navy between 2024 and 2025 and is currently working on three additional vessels.
As part of activities marking the 70th anniversary, he announced programmes including special prayers, sporting competitions, project commissioning, sea trips, international maritime exhibitions, and the sixth Sea Power for Africa Symposium.
He added that naval vessels from Benin Republic, Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana are expected to arrive in Lagos on May 29 for the celebrations.
The grand finale of the anniversary is scheduled for June 1 at the Eko Atlantic Waterfront in Lagos, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to review an international fleet, commission new naval vessels, and inaugurate a combined maritime task force for the Gulf of Guinea.
The vessels slated for commissioning include NNS MAMBILA, NNS GURARA, and NNS OLOIBIRI.
Olodude reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to becoming a highly digitised and networked blue-water force capable of tackling emerging maritime threats.
He said the forthcoming Sea Power for Africa Symposium, themed “Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Maritime Security in Africa,” would focus on integrating advanced technology and skilled manpower to address fourth- and fifth-generation warfare threats.
“The Nigerian Navy remains steadfast in its constitutional role of protecting Nigeria’s maritime interests and ensuring regional stability,” he said.
