Ahead of the symposium, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has laid emphasis on the need for coordinated responses to maritime security challenges and opportunities in Africa.
By Blue Africa News
Lagos is getting ready to host African and world naval leaders, maritime security experts, policymakers, academics and industry stakeholders for the 6th Sea Power for Africa Symposium (SPAS).
The continental gathering will be held at the Eko Convention Center, Victoria Island from 2-3 June 2026, coinciding with the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary celebrations which run from May 31 to June 04, 2026.
Themed “Leveraging technology for enhanced maritime security in Africa,” the symposium has been framed as an opportunity for naval leaders to engage in strategic discussions on how to leverage technology to solve regional maritime challenges, besides sharing operational insights and strengthening cooperation for the security and governance of Africa’s seas.
Among undertakings lined up during the event’s packed program include conference sessions, networking and international exhibition showcasing the latest naval equipment, technologies and solutions pegged on helping navies effectively protect Africa’s maritime interests.
Declaring the symposium as not only important for Nigeria but the entire African continent, president Bola Tinubu said any nation is only as strong as the courage of those who defend it, emphasising the need for coordinated responses to maritime security challenges and opportunities in Africa.
The Nigerian Navy, he said, remains the country’s guardian of its waters, “sailing forth with courage to safeguard our maritime domain and secure the nation’s economic future.”
Idi Abbas, Chief of the Naval Staff within the Nigerian Navy said SPAS 2026 builds on the success of the 2024 edition in South Africa, bringing together naval leaders, coast guards, defence ministries, policymakers, industry experts and international allies to enhance collaboration, intelligence-sharing and coordinated responses to maritime security challenges and opportunities in Africa.
“The symposium provides a platform to strengthen regional security cooperation, promote governance and enhance interoperability across African navies,” said Abbas.
“It will focus on actionable outcomes, shared intelligence and sustainable partnerships, reinforcing the importance of collective efforts to secure Africa’s seas and unlock the full potential of the continent’s oceanic resources.”
Delegations from over 20 African countries, including Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Gambia Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Algeria, Mauritius, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Burundi, Benin, South Africa and hosts Nigeria are expected to attend.
The list of speakers is dotted with names of the who-is-who in Africa and global maritime space, among them Dr. Paul Adalikwu, (Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa – MOWCA), Monde Lobese (Chief of the South African Navy), Said Zebakhe (Deputy Inspector of the Royal Moroccan Navy), Professor Aykut Ibrahim Olcer (Director of Research, Head Maritime Energy Management World Maritime University – WMU) and AVM OC Ubadike, (Deputy Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna Nigeria).
The symposium was first hosted in South Africa in 2005 as a platform to foster vital regional partnerships and information-sharing among the continent’s growing navies, later focusing on collaborative “African solutions for African problems” to safeguard maritime zones, combat piracy, and develop the Blue Economy.
Nigeria is in line to host the symposium for the third time, after the 2006 and 2021 editions.
During the 5th edition hosted by South Africa in 2024, African countries endorsed nine key outcomes for the future of maritime cooperation, based on strengthening regional collaboration and accelerating implementation of the African Union’s Integrated Maritime (AIM) strategy 2050.
AIM addresses all major issues that affect Africa’s maritime space, ranging from illegal activities, which include toxic waste dumping and discharge of oil, dealing in illicit crude oil, human, arms and drug trafficking, piracy and armed robbery at sea; energy exploitation, climate change, environmental protection, conservation and safety of life and property at sea; research, innovation and development; and maritime sector development, including competitiveness, job creation, international trade, maritime infrastructure, transport, information, communication, technology, and logistics.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News