Nigeria’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, held bilateral discussions with the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, during the 14th Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium. The talks, which took place in Venice, centered on strengthening maritime cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting followed Vice Admiral Ogalla’s presentation on “Preserving the Underwater — The Secure & Sustainable Use of the Underwater,” where he emphasized Africa’s maritime potential as outlined in the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS). He stressed the importance of collective global strategies to secure underwater resources in line with international frameworks such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which notes that 60% of the world’s oceans lie outside national jurisdiction.
The two naval leaders discussed the importance of U.S.-Nigerian naval cooperation, highlighting joint efforts to counter piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and enhance maritime security. Admiral Franchetti commended Nigeria’s leadership in fostering maritime cooperation, particularly through participation in naval exercises like OBANGAME Express.
The United States and Nigeria reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional stability and continued efforts to improve security in the maritime domain.
