The Nigerian Navy has concluded plans to deploy six ships and two helicopters for the 2025 Exercise Obangame.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, who inaugurated the annual Exercise Obangame Express in Lagos.
Obangame Express is an exercise initiated by the United States of America (USA) in conjunction with other navies of the world for global maritime security, and has been ongoing for 14 years.
Ogalla was represented at the event by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mike Gregory Oamen.
“The Nigerian Navy will be deploying six ships, two helicopters, and maritime domain awareness assets, as well as elements of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the Spanish ship ESPS RELAMPAGO,” he said.
He stated that the focus for this year’s exercise was on combating small arms and light weapons trafficking, as well as anti-narcotics operations.
The event was attended by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Farouk Mijinyawa; the Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Adeniran Kolade Ademuwagun; the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Doctrine Command, Rear Admiral Shehu Gombe, as well as representatives from paramilitary agencies.
The exercise will be conducted over three days, from May 9 to May 13, 2025, and seeks to bring together partners from the Gulf of Guinea, the Americas, and Europe to evaluate the Nigerian Navy’s capabilities in conducting maritime security operations alongside partner navies.
The participants include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, and Ghana.
Others are Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and the United States.
Also participating will be the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)Channels.
