ACADEMIA Letters Theoretical Analysis of the Causes of Piracy of the Nigerian Coast Kalu Kingsley Anele I. Introduction This study aims to use theories, like the failed state theory, espoused by scholars to dissect the root causes of piracy of the Nigerian coast with a view to suggesting measures to curb the crime. The importance of advancing these theories is to: understand why people commit crimes, review applicable prosecution processes, introduce sentencing and correctional poli- cies and practices, and foster appropriate measures to curb crimes in society. [1] These the- ories signifcantly substantiate the environmental, societal, psychological, sociological, and institutional factors that engender piracy and increasingly sustain the crime in Nigeria despite the various attempts by the Nigerian government to stem the tide of the crime in its waters. For instance, Nigeria has enacted antipiracy legislation, [2] prosecuted pirates, [3] initiated the Deep Blue Project to bolster its maritime domain awareness, [4] participated in the enactment of regional codes, [5] and engaged in regional training programmes organised by developed countries [6] and international organisations. [7] Nonetheless, piracy has continued to occur in Nigerian waters. The methodology adopted in this study is a dialectical analysis of legal instruments, case law, data from piracy reports, and academic publications. This study opines that theorising the causes of piracy adumbrates the normative issues that propel piracy in Nigeria, which is key in fnding a lasting pragmatic solution to the crime. Thus, the study addresses the issue of piracy in Nigeria by using some of the relevant theories to analyse the causes of the crime. It argues that the dearth of the political will by the government of Nigeria to curb piracy, which encapsulates other causes of the crime, creates a conducive environment for piracy to thrive in the country. The study, therefore, identifes a centrifugal measure, the cultivation of the Academia Letters, August 2021 Corresponding Author: Kalu Kingsley Anele, kkanele@gmail.com Citation: Anele, K.K. (2021). Theoretical Analysis of the Causes of Piracy of the Nigerian Coast. Academia Letters, Article 2567. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL2567. 1 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0