L-R: Director, Legal Services NIMASA, Heaky Dimowo; Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; Commander, Maritime Guard Command (MGC), Commodore Reginald Adoki, during the NIMASA/NAVY MOU signing ceremonies at the Naval headquarters in Abuja.
Abayomi Susan
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy have renewed their strategic partnership to strengthen maritime security, improve safety and enhance coordinated enforcement across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The renewed partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the Nigerian Navy Headquarters in Abuja by the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
The agreement marks the first formal renewal of the partnership since the original MoU between the two institutions was signed in 2007.
Under the renewed framework, both organisations will deepen cooperation in maritime security, intelligence and information sharing, joint operations and enforcement of relevant maritime laws.
The agreement also provides for stronger implementation of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mobereola commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for promoting inter-agency collaboration as part of efforts to strengthen maritime security and advance Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda.
He said the renewed MoU would provide a stronger institutional framework for both organisations to fulfil their statutory responsibilities and consolidate existing gains in securing Nigeria’s maritime space.
Mobereola added that improved coordination and information sharing would enable both agencies to respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
“As we renew this partnership today, I urge our respective teams to ensure that the spirit of this agreement translates into practical and measurable outcomes,” he said.
On his part, Vice Admiral Abbas described the agreement as a major milestone in the relationship between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy, noting that it introduces additional measures to address evolving maritime security challenges.
A key component of the renewed framework is the integration of the Deep Blue Project, which will strengthen cooperation between the project and the Nigerian Navy’s Maritime Guard Command.
The MoU also establishes a joint reporting protocol for communication and information sharing during operations to support faster decision-making and coordinated responses to maritime incidents.
In addition, the agreement provides for greater institutional engagement, including an annual conference where both organisations will assess progress, improve collaboration and address emerging challenges.
Abbas stressed the importance of protecting Nigeria’s maritime domain, noting that a significant proportion of the country’s revenue and trade activities depends on its waterways.
The renewed partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy in maritime security, intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, incident response and enforcement of applicable maritime laws.
