Africa · Chokepoint assessment
Gulf of Guinea
Reported piracy has fallen sharply since its 2020 peak, but crew kidnapping far offshore remains possible and under-reporting is likely.
West African oil, container and fishing trade.
Main threats
- Crew kidnap for ransom
- Armed robbery at anchor
- Oil theft and illegal bunkering
What this means for shipping
- Anchorage robbery remains the most common event
- Use MDAT-GoG reporting
What to watch
- IMB quarterly reports
- Yaoundé Code of Conduct patrol activity
Ports on this route
Lagos (Apapa), Nigeria Substantial
Anchorage robbery and congestion.
Luanda, Angola Moderate
Oil-service port; theft at anchorage.
Lobito, Angola Moderate
Atlantic end of the Lobito Corridor rail line.
Pointe-Noire, Congo Moderate
Offshore oil hub; occasional anchorage robbery.
Matadi, DR Congo Moderate
River port on the Congo; congestion and theft.
Port-Gentil, Gabon Moderate
Oil export port.
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea Substantial
Exposed to Gulf of Guinea piracy.
Douala, Cameroon Substantial
Main port for Cameroon, Chad and CAR; river-mouth robbery.
Onne / Port Harcourt, Nigeria Severe
Niger Delta oil logistics; kidnap risk to crews offshore.
Bonny, Nigeria Severe
LNG and crude export terminal in the Niger Delta.
Lekki Deep Sea, Nigeria Substantial
New deep-water port east of Lagos.
Cotonou, Benin Substantial
Transit port for Niger and Burkina Faso.
Lomé, Togo Substantial
Major transhipment hub; anchorage robbery.
Tema, Ghana Moderate
Ghana's main port.
Takoradi, Ghana Moderate
Offshore oil support base.
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Moderate
Regional hub serving Mali and Burkina Faso.
San Pedro, Côte d'Ivoire Low
Cocoa export port.
Monrovia, Liberia Moderate
Freeport of Monrovia; flag-state hub.
Freetown, Sierra Leone Moderate
Deep natural harbour; petty theft.
Conakry, Guinea Substantial
Political protests affect port access.
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau Substantial
Drug-transit concerns.
Sources
Threat level is an Mazin Intel analytical judgement from public sources, not a live feed or official rating.