The problem in our seas

For all the noise and hue made about reduced piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, I think it’s important to bring us back to earth: the reduction in piracy is a global thing across the board, and some sources say it’s because of reduced shipping as a result of the pandemic.

Nigeria, of course, would take credit and say it’s because of the efforts of the Buhari administration. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this shows in two sets of related numbers. That thread by Tony Elumelu a few days ago highlights one of these numbers. Oil theft is pretty much the order of the day in Nigeria’s onshore oil installations. This was the focus of my column in Financial Nigeria published last week.

The second is in our fishing industry, which is the focus of my column in BusinessDay NG today.

Piracy in Nigeria has not necessarily reduced, it has moved inland. And unlike on the high seas, there is no Danish Navy to help us. We have to help ourselves, and solving the problem begins with honestly acknowledging that there is a problem.