US Donates Boat To Nigerian Navy

In a bid to curb act of piracy and all forms of insecurity in the nation’s territorial waters and strengthen its bilateral relationship, the United States of America has donated an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) to the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service as part of its longstanding security partnership.
The RHIB will support the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service rapid response in Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Delivering the boat at the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre in Lagos, Unied State Consul General, Will Stevens, highlighted the strong maritime partnership between United States and Nigeria.
Will said the partnership has promoted peace, stability, and security in Africa.
“The donation of the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat from the US government to the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service demonstrates the US commitment to enhancing the Nigerian Navy’s maritime interdiction and response capacity throughout Nigeria’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea”, he said.
In May, officers and members of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service completed a nine- week Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) alongside a team of U.S. Marine Special Forces.
The JCET was part of a series of US engagements that provide opportunities for the Nigerian military and US elite units to work together, learn from each other, and strengthen relationships.
Nigeria is an active participant in Obangame Express and Exercise Flintlock, two of the largest multinational annual maritime security exercises in the region.
The exercises are scheduled to take place concurrently in May 2024 with the goal of encouraging participating countries to work together to address transnational maritime challenges.