Nigerian Navy, NIMASA Renew Five-Year Partnership on Maritime Security


By Aviashima Toom, Abuja 

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 maritime domain.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja, in the presence of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola; Principal Staff Officers and other senior officials of both organisations.

The renewed MoU builds on a partnership that dates back to 2007 and has been sustained through successive renewals. It is expected to enhance coordination between the two institutions by aligning their mandates, operational capabilities and expertise to deliver measurable improvements in Nigeria’s maritime safety and security.

Speaking at the ceremony, the NIMASA DG/CEO, 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.

Mobereola stressed that Nigeria’s economic wellbeing is closely tied to the sea, making the protection of the nation’s maritime space a national imperative. He also acknowledged the Nigerian Navy’s critical role in the country’s maritime security architecture and its operational support to NIMASA in carrying out its statutory responsibilities.

In his remarks, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, described the renewed agreement as an important milestone in the longstanding relationship between the two institutions.

The CNS expressed confidence in NIMASA’s leadership and ongoing progress, while reaffirming the Navy’s commitment to providing operational support to the Agency throughout the five-year period covered by the agreement.

Under the renewed framework, the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA will expand cooperation in key areas, including 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 expected to improve maritime domain awareness, strengthen joint responses to incidents at sea and enhance the safety of ships, crew, cargo, passengers and navigation within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

The MoU also provides for improved institutional cooperation through timely intelligence and information exchange, appropriate utilisation of relevant facilities and capabilities, and collaboration in other areas of mutual interest.

To ensure effective implementation, the agreement provides for regular institutional reviews and the joint organisation of an annual Maritime Safety and Security Conference. These mechanisms are expected to help both organisations assess progress, respond to emerging threats and refine their joint priorities.

The Nigerian Navy said the protection of Nigeria’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone remains central to safeguarding lives and property, protecting legitimate maritime activities and creating an enabling environment for the sustainable development of the Blue Economy.

The Navy further reaffirmed its commitment to working with NIMASA, sister Services and other security agencies to protect Nigeria’s maritime interests, defend the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and promote a safer and more secure maritime environment in Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea.

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