The Nigerian Navy has called for strengthened collaboration with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the area of hydrography to sustain and further enhance safety of navigation in Nigerian waters.
The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command (FOC-WNC), Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, made the call during a familiarisation visit to NIMASA Headquarters, where he acknowledged the significant gains recorded from the agency’s longstanding partnership with the Nigerian Navy.
Rear Admiral Mustapha described the collaboration between both institutions as pivotal to the improved security currently being experienced in Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“The longstanding and unwavering partnership NIMASA has maintained with the Nigerian Navy has culminated in the current tranquility being witnessed within the Nigerian maritime domain, and it is a clear testament to the strength of this partnership,” he said.
The FOC West noted that enhanced information sharing, particularly through the integration of NIMASA’s Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4i) Centre with the Navy’s Falcon Eye surveillance system, would further strengthen maritime security across the country.
He also commended NIMASA for providing and maintaining platforms under the Deep Blue Project, which are operated by the Nigerian Navy, saying the initiative has significantly boosted naval operations.
“I would like to use this opportunity to commend NIMASA for providing and maintaining platforms under the Deep Blue Project, which are operated by the Nigerian Navy. This has greatly enhanced our operations,” Rear Admiral Mustapha said.
He added that the two newly acquired hydrographic vessels, with the capability to identify the precise location and size of wrecks, would greatly improve NIMASA’s wreck removal operations and overall navigational safety.
According to him, the deployment of advanced naval assets such as NNS Lana and NNS Ochuzor has contributed immensely to higher safety standards within the maritime sector, stressing the need for sustained joint efforts.
“Utilizing advanced vessels such as NNS Lana and NNS Ochuzor has undoubtedly contributed to improved safety standards within the maritime sector. It is therefore important that we jointly sustain these standards through deeper collaboration with NIMASA,” he said.
In his response, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the improved security in Nigeria’s territorial waters as central to the economic diversification drive of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He noted that a safe and secure maritime environment remains critical to the success of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the development of the Blue Economy.
“The maritime sector is at the forefront of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as well as the Federal Government’s economic diversification policy, and it is our shared obligation—NIMASA and the Navy—to deliver a safe and secure maritime space for maritime activities to thrive,” Mobereola said.
According to him, achieving optimal security in Nigeria’s maritime domain is essential for building investor confidence and encouraging shipping companies to commit resources to the sector.
The NIMASA helmsman also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, noting that his unwavering commitment to the development of the Blue Economy has continued to yield positive results.
