The Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the escalating hostilities between the Houthis in Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, warning that any disruption to navigation in the Red Sea could severely affect global oil supplies, maritime trade and the world economy.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Nigeria remained neutral in the conflict but urged all parties to embrace dialogue and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
Ebienfa said the latest tensions in the Red Sea, coming amid the unresolved disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, posed serious risks to global energy security and international commerce.
He noted that, as a major oil-producing nation, Nigeria was particularly concerned that any blockade of the Bab al-Mandab Strait or sustained disruption of shipping lanes in the Red Sea would have “direct and severe consequences for global oil supply chains.”
The Federal Government warned that attacks on commercial vessels, higher insurance premiums, longer shipping routes around the Cape of Good Hope and rising freight costs were already driving up international crude oil prices.
Nigeria also sympathised with Saudi Arabia over attacks on its oil facilities, saying the volatility threatened energy security and disproportionately affected developing economies that relied on stable oil revenues and affordable energy imports.
While welcoming the cessation of hostilities between the United States and Iran after 13 days of conflict, the Federal Government called on the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United States to “exercise maximum restraint, prioritise dialogue, and work through established diplomatic and multilateral channels to resolve outstanding issues.”
It stressed that restoring safe navigation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz was essential to safeguarding the free flow of global energy supplies and preventing further damage to the world economy.
The government reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with the United Nations Charter and pledged support for regional and international efforts aimed at reducing tensions and protecting critical maritime infrastructure.
“The time for de-escalation is now. The stability of global oil markets and the well-being of nations worldwide depend on it,” the statement added.
Ebienfa also expressed concern over the implications of the crisis for Nigerians living and working across the Gulf region, noting that instability directly affected Nigeria’s national interests because many of its citizens were employed in the oil, medical and education sectors.
“So we just want peaceful resolution of issues because of the adverse effect that we have on other parts or other nationalities in the world,” he said.
He further noted that Nigeria maintained cordial diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern countries, citing recent high-level engagements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
On the possible impact of the crisis on Nigeria’s oil exports, Ebienfa acknowledged that while supply disruptions elsewhere could temporarily favour Nigerian crude, prolonged instability would ultimately disrupt global shipping and increase transportation costs.
“If they are stranded there, it will affect the supply chain. It’s the same seagoing vessels that move to different ports in the world. So if they are trapped in a particular location, it will affect the cost of maritime transportation in the world,” he said.
He added that Nigerian crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports could also be affected if key maritime routes remained blocked.
Earlier, in a statement issued on Sunday, the Federal Government warned that the ongoing hostilities in the Red Sea threatened one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors and risked further destabilising global energy markets.
The statement reiterated Nigeria’s sympathy with Saudi Arabia over attacks on its oil facilities and reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, while pledging support for regional and international efforts to reduce tensions, protect critical maritime infrastructure and preserve international peace and security.
