Nigerian Navy To Bolster Fleet And Infrastructure In Grand 69th Anniversary Celebration.
The Nigerian Navy is set to mark its 69th anniversary with a spectacular showcase of maritime strength and infrastructure development, unveiling three new patrol vessels, three helicopters, and several accommodation plots and office blocks. The announcement was made by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, during a thanksgiving service at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Navy Town, Lagos, on Sunday, 25 May 2025.
The celebrations, dubbed “Navy Week,” will run from 23 May to 1 June 2025, commemorating the Navy’s establishment on 1 June 1956. The week-long event will feature a series of activities, culminating in the commissioning of the new assets on Saturday, 31 May, at NNS BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos. The three patrol vessels—NNS Shere, NNS Faro, and NNS Ikogosi—are 38-metre Sea Eagle patrol boats, acquired from Singapore and South Korea, and arrived in Nigeria in December 2024. These vessels, designed for seaward defence within Nigeria’s littoral zone and capable of operations beyond the 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone, will significantly enhance the Navy’s presence at sea. Additionally, three Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters will be commissioned, bringing the Navy’s helicopter fleet to 14, boosting aerial surveillance and operational reach.
Vice Admiral Ogalla, represented by Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abdullahi Dewu, Chief of Policy and Plans, at an international press conference in Abuja on 19 May, highlighted the Navy’s transformation from a modest coastal force into a formidable maritime power in the Gulf of Guinea and sub-Saharan Africa. Under his leadership, the Navy has achieved peak operational readiness, particularly in combating crude oil theft through Operation Delta Sanity, launched in January 2024 and relaunched as Delta Sanity II in December 2024. In 2024 alone, the Navy arrested 215 suspects, seized 26 vessels, and deactivated 468 illegal refinery sites, recovering 6.5 million litres of stolen crude oil and 7 million litres of illegally refined fuel.
The commissioning of new accommodation plots and office blocks at NNS BEECROFT underscores the Navy’s commitment to personnel welfare. Ogalla acknowledged ongoing accommodation challenges, stating, “Shelter remains a basic human need,” and assured continued efforts to address them. The Navy has also established a Special Operations Command in Makurdi, Benue State, to enhance security in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, and introduced the Nigerian Navy Marines to create an agile force for expeditionary warfare.
Navy Week will kick off with a special Juma’at prayer on 23 May at Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, followed by an interdenominational church service on 25 May in Lagos. On 26 May, medical outreach programmes and activities by the Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) will take place across Navy host communities. A sailing competition and boat race are scheduled for 28 May at the Nigerian Navy Sailing Club in Lagos, with a Golf Kitty on 30 May at the Dolphin Golf Club, Navy Town, Ojo. The celebrations will conclude on 1 June with a Ceremonial Sunset and Grand Dinner at Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island.
Ogalla credited President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering support for the Navy’s achievements, noting that all Navy-related requests have been treated with urgency. He reaffirmed the Navy’s role as a regional maritime power, ensuring safe communication routes in the Gulf of Guinea and supporting land-based security operations under the President’s agenda for economic growth and national sovereignty.
The unveiling of these assets and infrastructure projects is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s maritime security and economic prosperity, reinforcing the Navy’s position as a key player in the region.