The Nigerian Navy has called for enhanced collaboration with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the areas of hydrography and wreck removal to further improve safety of navigation in Nigerian waters.
The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, made the call during a familiarisation visit to the NIMASA Headquarters, where he commended the agency for its longstanding partnership with the Navy and the positive impact it has had on maritime security.
Rear Admiral Mustapha noted that the sustained cooperation between both organisations has contributed significantly to the current calm in Nigeria’s maritime domain. He described the prevailing tranquility as evidence of the strength and effectiveness of the partnership.
He stressed the need for improved 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, saying this would further enhance maritime security.
The naval chief also praised NIMASA for providing and maintaining platforms under the Deep Blue Project, which are operated by the Nigerian Navy, noting that the initiative has greatly boosted naval operations.
Rear Admiral Mustapha further disclosed that the Navy’s newly acquired hydrographic vessels, capable of identifying the precise location and size of wrecks, would significantly support NIMASA’s wreck removal efforts.
According to him, the deployment of advanced platforms such as NNS Lana and NNS Ochuzor has contributed to improved safety standards in the maritime sector, underscoring the need for sustained joint efforts.
In his response, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, described improved security in Nigeria’s territorial waters as critical to the Federal Government’s economic diversification drive under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Dr Mobereola said the maritime sector remains central to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the nation’s economic diversification policy, adding that ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment is a shared responsibility of NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy.
He noted that achieving optimal security levels in Nigeria’s maritime space is essential for building investor confidence and enabling shipping and other maritime activities to thrive.
The NIMASA chief also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola,, whose commitment to the development of the Blue Economy sector, he said, has continued to deliver tangible results.
Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola (left) presenting a souvenir to the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command (FOC-WNC), Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha during a courtesy visit by the FOC to the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos.
Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola (left) presenting a souvenir to the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command (FOC-WNC), Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha during a courtesy visit by the FOC to the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos.
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