The Nigerian Navy marked its 69th anniversary in 2025 by commissioning three patrol ships and three AW109 Trekker helicopters at a ceremony in Apapa, Lagos.
The newly commissioned ships are the NNS Shere, the NNS Faro and the NNS Ikogosi. Nigeria acquired two of the Sea Eagle-class vessels from Singapore and one from South Korea. All arrived in Nigeria in December 2024, according to defenceWeb.
The 38-meter vessels are designed to patrol Nigeria’s coastal waters up to the 24-nautical-mile contiguous zone and are capable of extended operations. Their addition is expected to significantly improve the Navy’s presence and rapid response at sea, the Nigerian Navy said.
The Ministry of Defence procured the three AW109 Trekker helicopters in late 2024, but like the new ships, they were not formally commissioned until mid-2025. They are equipped for a range of missions, including air reconnaissance, search and rescue, air insertion, and medical evacuation.
The fleet expansion comes as the Nigerian Navy continues to fight crude oil theft through efforts such as Operation Delta Sanity, and maintains a no-tolerance policy on piracy. The new assets are designed to improve the Navy’s ability to respond to emerging threats, protect national resources and contribute to regional stability, defenceWeb reported.
The Navy also opened new housing for its personnel, reflecting a holistic approach to improving operational readiness and welfare.
The commissioning ceremony included the inspection of ongoing projects in Lagos, showcasing the construction of Seaward Defence Boats IV and V at the Naval Dockyard Ltd. They are locally manufactured seagoing vessels constructed by Nigerian Navy shipbuilders and engineers. Builders completed the NNS Andoni in 2012 and the NNS Karaduwa in 2016. They finished the NNS Oji in 2021. The Navy still uses all three vessels. The fourth and fifth boats in the series are expected to be completed soon.
The Seaward Defence Boat is a fast class of patrol boat developed by Naval Dockyard Ltd. for the Nigerian Navy. The program designs and builds indigenous patrol vessels to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, combat piracy and promote local shipbuilding. Initial plans called for 10 of the 43-meter-long vessels.