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Viewing cable 08ABUJA2131, NIGERIA TO EXTEND EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE, NO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08ABUJA2131 2008-10-29 15:08 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Abuja
VZCZCXRO8173
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #2131/01 3031508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291508Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4306
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1461
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0454
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0162
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002131 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PBTS EPET EFIS EMIN PHSA PGOV PREL GH CM TP
EK, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA TO EXTEND EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE, NO 
INFRINGEMENT ON NEIGHBORS 
 
REF: ABUJA 1184 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: According to October 10 press reports, 
President Yar'Adua has ordered the National Boundary 
Commission (NBC) to "ensure the extension of Nigeria's 
continental shelf beyond the present 200 nautical mile 
limit."  The GON believes this move will not/not upset 
relations with Nigeria's neighbors.  NBC Assistant Director 
Abdul-Aziz Bello confirmed to Poloff that the GON has done 
the requisite seafloor studies and is indeed planning on 
submitting a request to the United Nations Commission on the 
Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLOS) for recognition of 
an extended Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundary sometime 
in 2009.  Bello said the exact limits of the new request have 
not yet been determined, but will not extend to the 350 
nautical mile (nm) limit established by UNCLOS, and claimed 
that this extension will not infringe on any other nation's 
EEZ.  Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for East and 
Central Africa Tony Eze told Poloff that any extension would 
be in a southwesterly direction, away from Cameroon, and Head 
of Corporate and Public Affairs for the Nigeria-Sao Tome 
Joint Development Authority Sam Dimka said that the GON had 
too much at stake in the Joint Development Zone to upset the 
apple cart.  It will likely be years before any decision is 
handed down on the proposed expansion.  An increase in its 
EEZ would only further tax the Nigerian Navy, which is 
already spread thin and incapable of protecting ships and oil 
platforms in Nigeria's waters.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) October 10 press articles reported that President 
Yar'Adua has ordered the NBC to expand Nigeria's maritime 
economic boundaries, saying that "the successful conclusion 
of this exercise will no doubt increase the frontiers of our 
national sovereignty and boost our national resource base." 
In an October 16 meeting with Poloff, NBC Assistant Director 
Bello confirmed that Yar'Adua had given the order, but also 
said that this had been in the works since at least 2002.  He 
said all the scientific studies had been completed in 
conjunction with the Navy's Hydrographic Office, boasting 
that "we've gone very far beyond other African nations" in 
asserting national sovereignty and achieving scientific 
goals.  He believed the formal application for expansion 
would be filed with the UN in early 2009, but did not know 
how far beyond 200 nm Nigeria would seek.  When asked if the 
expansion would infringe on the EEZ of any neighboring 
country, Bello sketched a rough map of Nigeria's coastline to 
illustrate the kind of limits off the Niger Delta he was 
describing, enlarging in a southwesterly direction.  He said 
the only maritime boundary issues Nigeria currently had with 
any other nation is an eight nm stretch disputed by Ghana. 
(Note: On October 17 and October 29, respectively, a 
political officer and the Defense Attache from the Ghanaian 
High Commission told Poloff they were not aware of said 
dispute. End note.)  Bello concluded the discussion by 
expressing his confidence that "we'll definitely get 
something beyond 200 nm." 
 
3. (SBU) Tony Eze, the MFA's Director for East and Central 
Africa, affirmed to Poloff on October 22 that any expansion 
of the EEZ would not come at the cost of antagonizing 
Cameroon, and that it would expand to the southwest, away 
from Cameroon -- likely expanding just a portion of the 
current maritime economic boundary, rather than the entire 
length.  Per the provisions of the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty 
reaffirmed in the Greentree Agreement, Nigeria's maritime 
boundaries with Cameroon are settled.  He also said it would 
not affect the Nigeria/Sao Tome Joint Development Zone 
created in 2001 and renegotiated in 2003.  When Poloff 
pointed out the difficulty the Nigerian Navy would have in 
trying to protect additional offshore oil and gas facilities 
from militants, Eze conceded its near-impossibility and 
mentioned the hope that the Gulf of Guinea Commission would 
in the near future be harnessing support for the "Gulf of 
Guinea Guards," an arrangement in which regional nations 
would provide maritime security, presumably with support from 
international partners. 
 
 
ABUJA 00002131  002 OF 002 
 
 
4. (SBU) On October 24, Eze's views were echoed to Poloff by 
Sam Dimka, Head of Corporate and Public Affairs for the 
Nigeria-Sao Tome Joint Development Authority, who emphasized 
Nigeria's contentment with its present maritime boundaries 
with its neighbors, and highlighted the unlikelihood that 
Nigeria would seek to renegotiate or jeopardize the Joint 
Development Zone (JDZ) it shares with Sao Tome and Principe. 
Recalling the years of talks that led to the establishment of 
the 34,500  square km JDZ, which is both politically and 
economically advantageous to Nigeria, he pointed out that 
U.S. firms hold 75% of the zone's equities -- one more reason 
for Nigeria not to trouble the waters.  By his reckoning, the 
expansion would run parallel to the JDZ, adding a 
wedge-shaped area to the existing EEZ that would stop short 
of invasion of the EEZs of Nigeria's neighbors to the west. 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT: One of the apparent results of having 
finally settled the Bakassi issue is that Nigeria, feeling it 
came out the loser on the matter, is pushing outward in other 
directions.  While Nigeria's neighbors might disagree with 
its claims, the application process is expensive and 
technically challenging, and will thus take some time.  New 
Zealand's recent successful claim was the result of more than 
ten years' work and cost $44 million, and UNCLOS took more 
than two years to adjudicate the claim.  Along with Nigeria, 
many other nations are expected to file claims before the May 
13, 2009 deadline.  Even assuming Nigeria's submission to the 
Commission is adequate, it will likely be years before any 
result is handed down.  Furthermore, Nigeria's Navy is unable 
to protect Nigeria's existing offshore oil and gas 
facilities; increasing the EEZ by thousands of square 
nautical miles will also increase the number of targets 
available to militants (reftel).  END COMMENT. 
 
6. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos. 
Sanders