Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a former Minister of External Affairs, has called on regional and World leaders to unlock the vast potentials in the Gulf of Guinea.
He gave this advice in New York during a high-level roundtable on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Gambari said that the region, rich in oil, gas, and critical minerals, remains plagued by piracy, oil theft, and illegal fishing, which continue to scare away investors and destabilise communities.
Hope in the Horizon
The diplomat noted that despite the challenges, there was hope, pointing to the decline in piracy in some areas due to improved cooperation.
“We are not helpless,” Gambari declared. “When states coordinate naval patrols and share intelligence, tangible results follow.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s move to host a Combined Maritime Task Force, approved by the African Union in April 2025, as a sign of renewed political will.
Call for Action
Professor Gambari laid down a five-point agenda for the region which included strengthening of security frameworks, merging of security with development, bringing in the private sector, embracing technology . Others are forming a business council for the Gulf of Guinea to drive sustained cooperation.
He insisted that for the region to become an economic hub, its natural wealth must be managed transparently to benefit local communities and avoid fuelling grievances.
“Economic opportunity, when paired with inclusive governance, is itself a powerful deterrent to insecurity,” he argued.
ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the AU’s Agenda 2063
He anchored the plan to broader continental goals like ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the AU’s Agenda 2063.
The diplomat that without decisive collective action, the Gulf of Guinea’s promise would remain unfulfilled.
“The future must be shaped by a shared commitment: to protect its waters, invest in its people, and transform its natural wealth into a driver of inclusive growth,”
Gambari insisted that for the region to become an economic hub, its natural wealth must be managed transparently to benefit local communities and avoid fuelling grievances.
Story by Tunde Akanbi
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