By Philip Nwosu
In a renewed show of military partnership, the Nigerian and French military have conducted another edition of Exercise Crocodile Lift, a multinational training operation designed to enhance joint maritime security and amphibious operations within the Gulf of Guinea.
The exercise, which took place at the Tarkwa Bay area of Lagos, brought together personnel from both countries’ navies and armies in a coordinated drill aimed at boosting interoperability, counter-piracy capability, and regional peacekeeping readiness.
The Commanding Officer of the French Landing Group on board Tonnerre, Colonel Benjamin Brunet, expressed delight at the continued collaboration between France and Nigeria, describing the partnership as a vital step in promoting security and mutual understanding in West Africa’s maritime domain.
“I’m the commanding officer of the landing group inside the landing craft ship Tonnerre, which you can see here at sea. We are very glad to participate every year in this famous exercise, Crocodile Lift, with a powerful nation such as Nigeria.”
He explained that the French forces’ presence in the Gulf of Guinea was primarily for training and capacity building, emphasising France’s respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and natural resources.
“We are here to train with our African partners, to coordinate and work together across our armed forces. It’s a very impressive and productive cooperation with the Nigerian Armed Forces,” he said.
Highlighting the innovation in this year’s exercise, Colonel Brunet disclosed that France deployed a new amphibious vehicle as part of its efforts to introduce modern equipment and tactics into the joint operation.
“This year, we could deploy this new vehicle. It’s new for France too, and a good opportunity to cooperate with Nigeria using it,” he added.
On his part, Rear Admiral Ifeanyi Okpala, Acting Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Doctrine Command, described the two-day exercise as a resounding success, adding that it has further strengthened the Nigerian Navy’s operational efficiency.
“The exercise was a success. Yesterday was the sea phase, and today we witnessed the landing phase,” Rear Admiral Okpala said. “It forms part of a broader partnership programme between France and Gulf of Guinea states to ensure maritime stability.”
According to him, the Nigerian Navy’s professionalism and operational competence have continued to attract global recognition, especially in curbing maritime crimes in the region.
“The Nigerian Navy has been quite professional over the years, and through exercises like this, we have secured our maritime domain excellently. Piracy incidents have reduced tremendously, thanks to improved collaboration and training,” he noted.
The Crocodile Lift exercise is part of France’s long-standing engagement with West African coastal nations under the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Initiative, which seeks to promote collective defence, safeguard trade routes, and strengthen regional naval doctrines.
Observers say such exercises reflect the evolving nature of international military diplomacy—where collaboration, training, and shared expertise now play a major role in countering transnational threats in Africa’s waters.
Earlier, the Commanding Officer of the French amphibious group Tonnerre, Captain Arnaud Borelli, had commended the Nigerian Navy for its cooperation and commitment to enhancing maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Captain Borelli said he arrived in Nigeria with Colonel Benjamin Brunet, commander of the troops onboard, and a contingent of 650 soldiers and sailors as part of a three-month “Koham Mission” patrol in the Gulf of Guinea.
He explained that the mission, which began in September, was designed to strengthen collaboration with coastal nations and their navies in tackling maritime crimes, including piracy, smuggling, and other illegal activities.
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