Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and the Nigerian Navy have committed to a partnership to strengthen maritime security that would support improved crude oil and gas production across the company’s operational assets in the Niger Delta.

The commitment was the highlight of a high-level meeting held on Monday at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters in Abuja, where senior executives from Renaissance met with naval leadership to discuss joint efforts to protect critical national infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted energy output.

“Our vision for Nigeria’s energy security is rooted in collaboration,” said Renaissance’s General Manager for Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Igo Weli. “Working closely with the Navy ensures that our operations are protected and our growth trajectory remains stable.”

Weli, accompanied by Renaissance’s Chief Production Officer, Meshach Maichibi, and other senior executives of the company, restated Renaissance’s commitment to partnering with public and private institutions to support the economic growth of Nigeria through improved oil and gas revenue.

Security remains a key concern for operators in the Niger Delta, where infrastructure sabotage and crude oil theft continue to pose risks to production and personnel. Speaking at the meeting, Renaissance’s General Manager for Security, Toye Fatoki, called for enhanced coordination with the Navy to improve surveillance of underwater assets and address maritime threats.

“We are seeing increasingly sophisticated threats to subsea infrastructure and offshore assets,” Fatoki said. “A coordinated response with the Navy is essential, not only to deter criminal activity but to ensure the safe and stable operation of our facilities.”

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, welcomed the partnership initiative and reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to supporting the oil and gas sector. He commended the rapid production turnaround by the company and emphasised the importance of public and private sectors collaboration in achieving national energy objectives and maintaining maritime stability.

At the end of the meeting, both Renaissance and the Nigerian Navy agreed to establish a joint framework for operational coordination, intelligence sharing, and rapid response mechanisms to safeguard oil and gas infrastructure.

Renaissance acquired Shell’s stake in the Shell Petroleum Development Company earlier this year and has positioned itself as Nigeria’s leading indigenous upstream operators. The engagement with the Navy is part of Renaissance’s wider effort to align with government and security institutions to drive sustainable growth in the oil and gas sector.

• PHOTO, L-R: Director, Naval Intelligence, Commodore U.M. Bugaje; Manager, Business Relations, Relations and Sustainable Development, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Mr. Enobong Ekanem; Chief of Naval Training, Rear Admiral K.J. Odunbajo; Renaissance Africa’s Chief Production Officer, Mr. Meshach Maichibi; Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral I.A. Dewu; Renaissance Africa’s General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. Igo Weli; Chief Naval Operations, Rear Admiral P.C. Nwatu; Renaissance Africa’s General Manager Security, Toye Fatoki; Chief of Naval Engineering, Rear Admiral B. Iyalla; and External Security Relations Adviser, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Ikenna Anosike… at the Nigeria Navy Headquarters, Abuja.