West African piracy spike will require vigilance

Outlook

Data from the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) quarterly report shows 29 incidents of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea this year, 40% of the global total.

Much of this occurred off the coast of Nigeria, which accounted for 22 piracy incidents, while Benin also saw a sharp increase in activity. While officially global piracy declined to a 22-year low in 2017, according to IMB data, the organisation estimates that only about half of piracy incidents are reported to it.

Despite the rising threat of piracy in West Africa, domestic and regional counter-piracy initiatives are lagging, while pirates are resorting to new methods to extort companies and crew for both cargo and cash.

Impacts

• Changing global oil prices will affect piracy profitability, impacting patterns and methods in the Gulf of Guinea.
• Increasing instability in the Niger Delta ahead of the 2019 Nigerian elections could see a further spike in piracy incidents.
• South-East Asian counter-piracy initiatives could provide an exemplar for states in the Gulf of Guinea to follow.