The Problem

Achieving maritime security and promoting sustainable ocean governance remain critical challenges across Africa.
Although the continent’s maritime domain is rich in natural resources, its potential is constrained by:

- Maritime insecurity

- Illegal and unregulated activities

- Limited capacity to govern

African states hold the primary responsibility for ensuring maritime security and promoting sustainable ocean governance within their jurisdictions.

Our Solution

The African Maritime Security Institute’s Country-Specific Initiative partners directly with African states to strengthen their ability to:

✔️ Address maritime security challenges
✔️ Promote sustainable ocean governance
✔️ Advance blue economy development
✔️ Combat maritime crimes

We bring in highly specialized international expertise tailored to national priorities and support each country’s distinct journey toward sustainable maritime development.

Our Approach

We work on request from:

- African governments

- Regional organizations

- International partners

Our approach includes:

✔️ Conducting in-depth consultations with local authorities, international organizations, and civil society
✔️ Identifying key gaps in capacity
✔️ Deploying experts to co-design and implement solutions with local stakeholders

Our experts—ranging from maritime law professionals to port security and governance specialists—work hand-in-hand with their African counterparts.

Our Impact

Through this initiative, African countries are empowered to:

✔️ Meet national and international obligations related to maritime security
✔️ Promote sustainable ocean governance
✔️ Develop the blue economy
✔️ Combat maritime crimes effectively

We offer context-specific tools and training, which help reinforce the rule of law and build public trust in institutions.
Ultimately, this leads to a safer, more secure, and prosperous maritime environment that drives national and regional development.

Key Objectives

✔️ Promote Maritime Security: Enhance maritime security and prevent maritime crimes, including piracy, terrorism, and illicit trafficking.
✔️ Sustainable Ocean Governance: Foster good governance, capacity building, and sustainable use and development of Africa’s oceans.
✔️ Capacity Building: Provide specialized training, research, and capacity-building programs for African states, regional organizations, and international partners.
✔️ Regional Cooperation: Foster cooperation and collaboration among African states, regional organizations, and international partners on maritime security and ocean governance issues.
✔️ Combat Maritime Crimes: Combat and prevent maritime crimes, including illegal migration, drug trafficking, and transnational human trafficking.

National Tailoring

This initiative can be customized to meet each country’s specific needs:

- Nigeria, as a regional military and economic power, can focus efforts on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea.

- South Africa can prioritize blue economy expansion, port security, and environmental sustainability.

By addressing local realities, each country-specific program strengthens national security, boosts economic growth, and supports Africa’s broader maritime strategy.