Navy, NIMASA Renew Five-Year Pact To Strengthen Maritime Security
The Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have renewed their strategic partnership with the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening maritime safety and security across Nigeria’s territorial waters and wider maritime domain.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja, with the partnership expected to deepen inter-agency cooperation, protect lives and property, and support legitimate maritime activities and the sustainable development of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
The renewed agreement consolidates a partnership between the two institutions that dates back to 2007 and has been sustained through successive renewals.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, described the renewal as a reaffirmation of the shared commitment of both organisations to the security, safety, sustainability and prosperity of Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Mobereola stressed that Nigeria’s economic wellbeing was closely linked to the sea, noting that securing the country’s maritime space was not merely an operational responsibility but a national imperative.
He said the Nigerian Navy remained a critical pillar of the nation’s maritime security architecture, particularly through its operational support to NIMASA in carrying out its statutory responsibilities.
According to him, the renewed partnership would enable both institutions to align their mandates, capabilities and expertise to achieve improved outcomes in maritime safety and security.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, described the renewed MoU as a significant milestone in the decades-long relationship between the Navy and NIMASA.
Abbas expressed confidence in NIMASA’s leadership and assured that the Navy would continue to provide the necessary operational support for the effective implementation of the agency’s mandate throughout the five-year period.
He emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation among government agencies in securing Nigeria’s maritime space, protecting national interests and creating a safer environment for legitimate economic activities.
Under the renewed agreement, the Navy and NIMASA will strengthen collaboration in maritime safety and security, marine pollution control, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, intelligence and information sharing, hydrography, as well as training and professional capacity development.
The partnership is also expected to improve maritime domain awareness and enhance the agencies’ ability to respond effectively to incidents at sea.
Through improved coordination and information sharing, the two institutions aim to enhance the safety of ships, crew members, cargo, passengers and navigation within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The MoU further provides for the timely exchange of intelligence and information, appropriate utilisation of relevant facilities and capabilities, and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.
To promote accountability and ensure sustained results, the implementation of the agreement will be subjected to regular institutional reviews.
The two organisations will also jointly convene an annual Maritime Safety and Security Conference to assess progress, identify emerging challenges and refine their priorities.
The renewed partnership comes as Nigeria continues to place greater emphasis on securing and effectively managing its maritime space as a key component of economic growth and Blue Economy development.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to working with NIMASA, other security agencies and the sister Services to protect Nigeria’s maritime interests, safeguard lives and property, and defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The five-year agreement is therefore expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s maritime security architecture while creating a safer and more productive environment for maritime trade and economic activities across the Gulf of Guinea.
