Gulf of Guinea Pirates Are Back—And They're Better Armed Than Ever

Gulf of Guinea piracy surges 25% in 2025 with 23 crew kidnapped as transnational syndicates defeat standard anti-piracy defenses.

The Numbers Nobody Wants to Talk About

Remember when everyone declared victory over Gulf of Guinea piracy? That celebration was premature. Piracy incidents in West Africa's most strategic maritime corridor rose to 21 cases in 2025, up from 18 the year before—a 25 percent surge by the third quarter that caught regional security forces and international ob…