Once labeled the world’s piracy epicenter, the Gulf of Guinea is slowly rewriting that narrative. With a steady decline in incidents, improved coordination, and greater regional ownership, the waters are becoming safer. But sustaining that momentum means reinforcing what works—and ensuring the progress is driven by those who live and work along the coastline.
In a conversation with Global South Pole, Maritime Security Researcher and Consultant Stephanie Oserwa Schandorf emphasized that the decline in piracy is the result of a combination of well-established regional frameworks such as Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project, legal reforms, and coordinated maritime operations—and the growing trust among frontline actors. She noted that both formal systems and informal collaboration now work hand in hand to strengthen maritime security.
“Apart from the formal structures in place, they form informal pools, where they can reach out to each other on [digital] platforms and share information that might be relevant to their region [Gulf of Guinea]. A certain level of familiarity has been built across actors in each country. These forums are key to supporting a spirit of collaboration and familiarity between different actors in the region,” she noted.
To listen to the whole discussion, tune in to the Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
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