R-L: The Director General and Chief Executive Officer Of The Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola; Hydrographer of the Federation; Rear Admiral Olumide Fadahunsi, Executive Director, Finance and Administration NIMASA, Mr. Chudi Offodile, during a meeting at the NIMASA Headquarters, Lagos.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the National Hydrographic Agency have intensified collaboration aimed at strengthening maritime safety, improving navigational standards, and promoting the use of locally developed hydrographic solutions across Nigeria’s territorial waters.
The renewed commitment emerged during a working visit by the Hydrographer of the Nation, Rear Admiral Olumide Fadahunsi, to the management of NIMASA, where both agencies explored strategic avenues to enhance the deployment and patronage of indigenous nautical charts and hydrographic communication tools.
The move is expected to bolster navigation safety for vessels operating within Nigerian waters while supporting broader national efforts to improve maritime security and sustainable blue economy development.
Speaking during the engagement, Rear Admiral Fadahunsi commended NIMASA’s management for its sustained commitment to maritime safety and sectoral development. He assured the agency of the National Hydrographic Agency’s continued support in providing reliable hydrographic services critical to Nigeria’s maritime ecosystem.
According to him, greater compliance with locally generated hydrographic information and navigational data would significantly improve maritime operations, reduce navigational risks, and strengthen surveillance and management of Nigeria’s coastal and territorial waters.
“Hydrography remains a critical component of maritime safety and national development. Strengthening collaboration between the National Hydrographic Agency and NIMASA will enhance navigational safety, improve maritime security, and support sustainable growth within Nigeria’s maritime domain,” Fadahunsi stated.
He stressed that accurate hydrographic information is essential for safe vessel movement, port operations, marine environmental protection, and efficient shipping activities, especially as Nigeria seeks to expand its influence within regional and global maritime trade corridors.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo MDrreola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening maritime safety information infrastructure and improving enforcement mechanisms aimed at achieving safer waterways nationwide.
Mobereola noted that NIMASA is also prioritising capacity development and institutional collaboration to modernise maritime services and align Nigeria’s maritime operations with international safety standards.
“At NIMASA, we recognize recognisective collaboration among maritime institutions is essential to achieving safer and more efficient waterways. We remain committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen maritime safety, improve operational standards, and enhance the overall growth of Nigeria’s maritime sector,” he said.
Industry stakeholders believe the partnership between both agencies could accelerate Nigeria’s quest for improved maritime governance, especially through the adoption of accurate and up-to-date navigational charts that support safe and efficient shipping operations.
The collaboration is also expected to reinforce NIMASA’s statutory responsibility under the NIMASA Act to ensure the safety of navigation and shipping within Nigeria’s maritime domain through stronger hydrographic data management, monitoring systems, and operational enforcement.
Analysts say the emphasis on locally developed nautical charts and hydrographic tools could further reduce dependence on foreign-generated maritime data while encouraging indigenous technical expertise and institutional self-reliance in the sector.
NIMASA and the National Hydrographic Agency have strengthened collaboration to improve maritime safety, enhance navigational standards, and promote indigenous hydrographic solutions across Nigeria’s waterways.
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