Assessing the possible influence of maritime piracy on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Nigeria

Abstract Maritime piracy has severely disrupted Nigeria’s maritime domain, undermining the numerous benefits promised by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and posing a significant threat to its successful implementation. As this study highlights, maritime piracy in Nigeria emerges partly as a deviant response to the socio-economic pressures intensified by neoliberalism and globalization. By examining maritime piracy through the lens of Global Anomie Theory (GAT) and civic governance frameworks – supplemented by insights from interviewees – this research offers a deeper understanding of how such criminal activities could jeopardize Nigeria’s ability to fully realize the objectives of the AfCFTA. In doing so, it contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of free trade agreements and maritime security challenges. Given the AfCFTA protocols that emphasize Member States’ responsibilities to safeguard their security interests, this study argues that Nigeria must extend its anti-piracy strategies beyond domestic initiatives. Specifically, it recommends that Nigeria strengthen international cooperation mechanisms as a critical step toward ensuring the effective implementation of the AfCFTA agreement.