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According to data from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC), Ghana and Angola have taken the lead in the number of reported piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, while Nigeria reported no piracy incidents in 2022.
The IMB PRC’s report shows that Takoradi Anchorage and Luanda Anchorage are on the list of worldwide ports with three or more reported incidents of piracy in 2022. More than two-thirds of the piracy incidents occurred while ships were anchored or berthed.
Ghana is ranked highest in the percentage of incidents, accounting for 33% of the incidents, with Angola scoring 24% last year. However, the IMB PRC noted that the increased presence of naval vessels and cooperation between coastal authorities in the Gulf of Guinea continues to positively impact the piratical activities reported in Africa.
Meanwhile, the non-profit group Oceans Beyond Piracy has reported that the cost of maritime piracy in West Africa reached over $1.2 billion in 2021.
The IMB PRC report also highlighted that despite the overall number of incidents decreasing by 46% compared to 2021 and by a factor of four compared to 2020, Gulf of Guinea waters are still dangerous.
The IMB PRC noted that two vessels were hijacked in 2022, with 29 crew members held hostage, and another vessel was fired upon while steaming, which demonstrates that threats to innocent seafarers remain in these waters.
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that 90% of trade to West Africa comes by sea, and maritime security is a crucial factor in economies on the Gulf of Guinea stretch.
The region, covering 11,000 km² and stretching from Angola to Senegal, is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for both oil exports from the Niger Delta and consumer goods to and from Central and West Africa. However, the region remains vulnerable despite massive investments in security, which has created ideal conditions for piracy to thrive.
Despite the high number of piracy incidents in Ghana and Angola, the IMB PRC’s annual report for 2022 shows an overall drop in global piracy and armed robbery numbers. This reduction is attributed to a general decline in piratical activities in the Gulf of Guinea, with the report showing a 13% drop compared to attacks in 2021.