The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have reaffirmed their commitment to enhanced operational collaboration aimed at strengthening maritime domain security and advancing Nigeria’s blue economy agenda.
This followed a strategic courtesy visit by the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, to the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, at NAF Headquarters in Abuja on February 20, 2026. The high-level engagement focused on consolidating air–maritime cooperation in support of Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project and reinforcing the country’s maritime security architecture.
Dr Mobereola underscored the centrality of maritime security to economic stability, international trade and sustained investor confidence. He noted that Nigeria has recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters over the past four years, describing the achievement as evidence of effective inter-agency coordination and the professionalism of the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
According to him, the sustained suppression of piracy has enhanced Nigeria’s global maritime reputation and created a safer operating environment for commercial activities. He emphasised the critical role of continuous aerial surveillance and rapid-response capabilities in protecting strategic maritime assets and sea lanes.
In his remarks, Air Marshal Aneke reaffirmed the NAF’s readiness to sustain and deepen synergy with NIMASA. He highlighted the Force’s deployment of long-range surveillance aircraft, maritime patrol platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and rapid-response air assets to deliver real-time situational awareness and precision coordination across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The Chief of the Air Staff described air power as a decisive force multiplier in maritime security operations, stressing that closer air–maritime integration would further secure sea lines of communication, protect offshore infrastructure and strengthen the Federal Government’s vision of a secure and economically productive blue economy.
