Photo credit: NavyRecognition, Model of the P18N OPV on the CSOC stand during AAD 2014. Click to enlarge.
NavyRecognition reports delivery of another cutter similar in concept to Cutter X. This time it is first of two being built in China for Nigeria.
P18N Offshore Patrol Vessels have a displacement of 1,700 tons, a length of 95 m, width of 12.2 m and beam of 3.5 m. It is powered by two MTU 20V 4000M diesel engines (I believe this is essentially the same engine as in the Webber class WPCs–Chuck). The maximum speed is 21 knots. The endurance of the vessel is 20 days at sea (range 3000 nautical miles at 14 knots) for a crew of 70 sailors.
The range and speed are certainly adequate for their purposes, but “nothing to write home about,” and the hangar is only suitable for UAVs, but it is actually better equipped in some ways than the proposed Cutter X with a 76mm gun and two 30mm. This probably contributes to the size of its 70 member crew.
Nigeria is modernizing their forces. The Nigerian Navy took over the former USCGC Chase in 2011, and they expect to get the Gallatin in 2015. Nigeria is the source of much of our imported oil, and they have an ongoing insurgency and a serious piracy problem.
If the helicopter on the model pictured above looks familiar, it is a Z-9, a Chinese license built version of the French helicopter that was the basis for the H-65. Chinese variants include both ASW and attack helicopter versions.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
It has an uncanny resemblance to the FFG.
Bill, I think what you are seeing is the shape of the bow, the position of the mast (though it is a different type) and the fact that there are no steps in the superstructure from the foc’sle to the bridge. Otherwise, lots of differences. It would look very different from the stern.
They do look very different from the Type 056 corvettes from which it is derived. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_056_corvette
I would not be surprised to see the Chinese Coast Guard get something like the Nigerian ships.
They do look like the version of the Type 056 corvettes. Though the Chines and Bangladesh version doesn’t have hangars. The ones that Nigeria are getting lack the SSM, SAM and ASW torpedoes. It’s similar to what the Royal Thai Navy got as well.
The first ship has been delivered. http://www.naval-technology.com/news/newsnigerian-navys-eastern-naval-command-receives-new-offshore-patrol-vessel-4666613
Old news but some video of the ship.Apparently the ship also has a vertical launch missile system that I was not expecting.
Apparently, the missile launching from a VLS (was from a Type 054 FFG*) is cropped into the news video. These are two different ships.
* http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m109/40niner_com/Warships/IMDEX-2015/DSCF1685_zps6a6zucqt.jpg
Here are some goggled photos of the NNS Centernary, courtesy of Doug D2015 :
Thanks, I should have recognized that.
The hangar looks like it might take an H-65 sized helo.
It can take a HH-65 since the Z-9 is a Chinese copy of the Dauphin Helicopter
Previously I had been under the impression the hangar was sized only for UAVs.
it might only have a helipad, and no hanger though.
This hangar is a lot larger than the UAV hangar on the Type 056 corvette from which it is derived, so it does look like it could hangar a Dauphin sized helo.
Bangladesh is also planning to buy this class.
Looks like they are earning their keep. From the German Navy Blog Marine Forum, “West Africa: Pirates in a speedboat attack and board Maersk-operated, Singapore-registered container ship „Safmarine Kuramo“ off the Nigerian coast (bound for Port Onne, Nigeria) … responding to distress call, the Nigerian Navy deploys patrol frigate „Centenary“ and patrol boats … seeing them approach, the pirates abandon their prey, fleeing to the coast … ship and all 25 crew safe.”