Solewant MD calls for tighter Gulf of Guinea maritime security
By Seun ibiyemi
The Founder and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Solewant Group, Mr. Solomon Ewanehi has urged the formalization of maritime cooperation frameworks as a key step toward unlocking the vast energy, oil and gas, and maritime opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea.
Ewanehi made this call while delivering a goodwill message at the High-Level Roundtable of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), themed “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roundtable for Peace and Security.”
He said that the region, richly endowed and strategically vital, offers investment opportunities worth hundreds of billions of dollars. However, he stressed that this potential can only be realized through improved security, governance, and coordinated public–private collaboration.
He noted that frameworks such as the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (2013) provide a foundation for combating piracy and illicit trafficking but require strengthened legal status, harmonized enforcement, and greater operational capacity to safeguard trade and investor confidence.
Highlighting Nigeria’s proposal to host a Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) in Lagos, Ewanehi described the initiative as encouraging but emphasized the need for stronger political will. He also advocated for aligning security measures with local content policies and financing pathways to ensure African industries grow alongside infrastructure development.
Ewanehi reiterated the company’s commitment to regional industrial growth, citing its 25 years of investment in Africa’s energy sector, including the commissioning of the continent’s largest multi-layer pipe-coating facility. He further outlined Solewant’s Roadmap Plus, a 10-year industrial development plan aimed at advancing Africa’s energy sector.
“On behalf of Solewant Group, we stand ready to partner with governments, multilateral institutions, DFIs, and regional bodies to convert security into sustainable economic opportunity,” Ewanehi affirmed.