The Nigerian Navy (NN) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership.
The statement by the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho on Tuesday in Abuja said that the MoU, which was signed at the naval headquarters in Abuja, was designed to strengthen maritime safety and security across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He said that the renewed MoU consolidated a relationship that began in 2007 and had been sustained through successive renewals, reflecting the resilience and enduring national value of the partnership.
“By aligning the complementary mandates, capabilities and expertise of both institutions, the framework is expected to improve coordination, strengthen operational alignment and translate cooperation into measurable maritime safety and security outcomes,” he said.
Folorunsho explained that under the renewed framework, the NN and NIMASA would deepen cooperation in maritime safety and security, marine pollution control, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement as well as intelligence and information sharing.
He also said that the collaboration would foster cooperation in hydrography, training and professional capacity development.
According to him, these areas of cooperation will enhance maritime domain awareness, strengthen coordinated responses to incidents at sea and support the safety of ships, crew, cargo, passengers and navigation within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The naval spokesperson said that beyond operational activity, the MoU established a stronger institutional framework for timely intelligence and information exchange, the appropriate utilisation of relevant facilities and capabilities, and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.
“Significantly, the agreement provides mechanisms for accountability and sustained delivery.
“Its implementation will be subject to regular institutional review, while both organisations will jointly convene an annual Maritime Safety and Security Conference.
“These mechanisms will provide opportunities to assess progress, address emerging challenges, refine joint priorities to ensure that the partnership continues to produce practical and measurable outcomes.
“For the navy, securing Nigeria’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone remains fundamental to protecting lives and property.
“It is also key to safeguarding legitimate maritime activities, preserving national security and creating an enabling environment for the sustainable development of the Blue Economy,” he said.
He added that the navy would continue to work with NIMASA, sister services and other security agencies to protect Nigeria’s maritime interests and defend the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The navy remains resolute in advancing a safer, more secure and prosperous maritime environment for Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea,” he added.
Folorunsho quoted the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Idi Abbas as saying that the renewed MoU is an important milestone in the enduring relationship founded on decades of cooperation and shared national interests.
Abbas expressed confidence in the leadership of NIMASA and the progress being recorded by the agency, while reaffirming the navy’s commitment to sustained collaboration for improved national outcomes.
He pledged the navy’s operational support towards the effective discharge of NIMASA’s mandate over the next five years.
He emphasised that sustained inter-agency cooperation remained indispensable to securing Nigeria’s maritime space and advancing the national interest.
According to the statement, 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 and Blue Economy.
“Nigeria’s economic well-being is closely connected to the sea, therefore, securing the nation’s maritime space is a national imperative,” he said.
He acknowledged the navy as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s maritime security architecture, recognising its operational support to NIMASA in the discharge of the agency statutory responsibilities.
GIK/APA