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Nigeria dazzles Dominguez, IMO scribe, with practical demonstration of deep blue assets capabilities.

— fancies its chances at IMO elections

Funso OLOJO

With lethal precision and technical accuracy, Nigeria put its multi- million dollars assets under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project, into a stimulated demonstration at the Under water jetty of the Nigerian Navy, Ojo, Lagos.

The demonstration, which took place on Saturday, October 4th, 2025 was done in the full glare of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola , the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho and other security agents who were seated on board of DB Abuja, another special mission vessel of the deep blue project.

In a fast- paced operation, the full compliment of deep blue assets, comprising two special mission helicopters, four fast interceptor boats, and two special mission vessels,were deployed to foil a stimulated pirate attack on DB Lagos, one of the special mission vessels under the deep blue project.

In the stimulation exercise, one of the Deep Blue special mission vessels, DB Lagos, was under pirate attack.

But the fast and timely intervention of the security personnel of the Maritime Security Unit(MSU) of the deep blue project, manning two special mission helicopters and four fast interceptor boats, neutralize the attack, arrested the pirates, rescued the crew of the attacked vessel and took the injured victims to the hospital, showcasing the aerial capacity of the deep blue assets.

An impressed IMO scribe, Arsenio Dominguez, was blown away by the clinical precision of the anti- piracy capabilities of the deep blue project security personnel.

“I want to start by thanking the government of Nigeria, the Ministry, NIMASA, and particularly the Deep Blue team.

“Because this is one of the most impressive displays that I have seen and experienced”

“And the reality is that we know how important maritime security is, particularly for Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

“And I hope and I really encourage the government to sustain this project.

“Because the results are there. The fact that for the last three years, there has been not a single piracy attack in the national waters of Nigeria just demonstrates the effectiveness.

“And of course this also demonstrates and replicates the fact that commerce will return and come back” the IMO chief declared.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, was no less impressed by the demonstration.

He reiterated the commitment of Nigeria to reclaim the elusive seat in the category C of the IMO.

The Minister promised to go back to the Headquarters of the IMO in London to intensify the campaign and lobby to ensure that Nigeria is elected into the council.

“I want to say that the Deep Blue project is a multi- layered security architecture, that has earned Nigeria a zero piracy for the past three years.

“And it’s not enough for us to say so. It’s important for people, particularly the Secretary General, to witness the demonstration. It’s not a fluke, it’s a reality.

“And I must commend the various agencies, the security agencies particularly, for the collaboration.

“That means with teamwork, there’s nothing you cannot achieve. We will try to sustain it.

“It’s tough in terms of funding. But the federal government is determined to ensure that there’s no piracy in the waters.

“That’s part of what will allow us to harness the potential of the economy.

“I must commend all the people that are involved, the CEO of the management team, all the various agencies that have contributed in getting this thing to this stage.

“I’m proud of the fact that the SG is able to look at this. I’ll come back to the UK to be able to convince them that Nigeria deserves to be a member of the Council of IMO.

“

We’re looking at being part of the Council from November this year. But the ultimate, like I mentioned to you yesterday, is for us to get to the UK” Oyetola enthused.

However, Dominguez was non- committal to the title race of Nigeria at the IMO.

“The International Maritime Organisation works with 176 member states.

“And I encourage Nigeria to continue their campaign for the election into the IMO Council.

” They have been there before. They know that they are doing very good work.

“And I wish them a lot of success in the elections” he declared in a detached voice.

Late former President Muhammadu Buhari, performed the official launch of assets under the deep blue project on Thursday, June 10th,2021 in Lagos.

The Deep Blue Project, which was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Defence, is being implemented by NIMASA.

The main objective of the Deep Blue Project is to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea.

The Project has three categories of platforms to tackle maritime security on land, sea, and air.

The land assets include the Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence Centre (C4i) for intelligence gathering and data collection; 16 armoured vehicles for coastal patrol; and 600 specially trained troops for interdiction, known as Maritime Security Unit.

The sea assets include two Special Mission Vessels and 17 Fast Interceptor Boats. The air assets comprise two Special Mission Aircraft for surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); three Special Mission Helicopters for search and rescue operations; and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

The Deep Blue Project is the first integrated maritime security strategy in West and Central Africa with the aim of tackling the incidences of piracy, sea robbery, and other crimes at sea.

The Maritime Security Unit (MSU) of the Deep Blue Project, comprises personnel from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police, and Department of State Services.

Headlines

Tinubu meets IMO scribe in Lagos, reaffirms commitment to maritime development

Funso OLOJO

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has received in audience the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, in Lagos.

The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s maritime sector as a viable alternative to fossil energy.

He noted that the recent signing of the National Maritime Policy was a deliberate step to entrench global best practices and strengthen the competitiveness of the Nigerian maritime industry.

In his remarks, the IMO Secretary-General commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for its remarkable achievements in maritime safety and security, particularly in safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea.

He assured that the United Nations agency remains ready to collaborate with Nigeria in sustaining the recent successes recorded in the sector.

The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, led the IMO Secretary-General and other industry leaders for the engagement.

They include the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, ,Olufemi Oloruntola, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubaker Dansoho and Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji.

Headlines

Oyetola solicits IMO assistance on sea- time training for Nigerian cadets

– As Dominguez applauds Nigeria’s maritime infrastructures

Funso OLOJO

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has appealed to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to help Nigeria in securing international sea- going vessels for sea- time training for her cadets at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.

He made this appeal during the visit of the Secretary General of the IMO, Arsenio Dominguez ,to Nigeria on Thursday, October 2nd, 2025.

The IMO Chief Scribe was at the headquarters of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) , Lagos .

During the visit where all the heads of the maritime government agencies and Directors in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy were present, Oyetola said Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, has the capacity to produce Seafarers that can cater for the whole world but lamented that lack of sea- time training has been a challenge for its cadets.

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The Minister was speaking in response to the accolades heaped on the maritime training institution at Oron where he lauded the training infrastructures and the the caliber of cadets being churned out from the institution.

“I’m very impressed with the facilities, and wished I could have visited the Academy.

” I congratulate you with that. And please tell the seafarers and the cadets that I think they’re very luck.

“They’re very lucky to have those facilities, to see the changes from 2017 to 2025.

“That’s impressive. That means that there’s a lot of commitment from the government and from the academy to continue to demonstrate great facilities, I have to say, very good” the IMO chief scribe declared.

However, Oyetola said in as much as the Academy has a world class training infrastructure which can produce Seafarers for the whole world, he lamented that the cadets lack sea- time training.

“But let me just say a few remarks about the Maritime Academy ,Oron.

“It is an institution that has the capacity to train seafarers for the entire world.

“We talk about 200. We can do more than several 200.

” But what is important is for us to be able to place the seafarers on international vessels.

” They need practical experience. The capacity within the country may not give them sufficient exposure.

“So we need your assistance in ensuring that these seafarers, once they attain the

primary academic qualification, they have the opportunity to be able to be put on international vessels to have the kind of practical experience.

“So we can supply the entire world with seafarers.

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“With the kind of shortage that we’re talking about, Nigeria alone can provide the gap.

“When you’re looking for gaps, we can supply the seafarers for the entire maritime industry in the world.

“So please, let’s see how much you can assist to be able to place seafarers on international vessels.

” The population, like you mentioned, about more than 60% are youths.

“They are quite interested in maritime, but it’s not enough for you to acquire the qualification.

“If you don’t have the job, then you are discouraged. So be able to train them and put them on international vessels, then you can be too sure that a lot of them are interested in making seafarering a career” the Minister appealed.

Meanwhile, Arsenio Domínguez, has lauded Nigeria’s remarkable achievements in maritime security, particularly its success in recording zero piracy incidents for over three years and the groundbreaking Deep Blue Project, which he described as a model for regional cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea.

He noted that Nigeria’s investment in maritime safety infrastructure and the collaboration of its security agencies, especially the Nigerian Navy, have yielded tangible results in combating piracy and maritime crimes.

According to him, these efforts demonstrate Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to ensuring safer seas, not just for its own waters but for the wider West and Central African region.

The IMO chief acknowledged Nigeria’s recent submission to the organization outlining its national and regional security initiatives, and while commending the progress made, he stressed the need for continued support in infrastructure development and acquisition of modern equipment.

He assured that the IMO would remain committed to providing technical assistance through awareness campaigns, training programmes and capacity-building initiatives.

In highlighting the organization’s ongoing projects, Mr. Domínguez referenced a regional conference scheduled to hold in Ghana in January on the Safe Seas Project, designed to consolidate contributions from Nigeria and other partner states.

He also announced ongoing discussions with the European Union aimed at launching a new maritime governance project focused on ports and security, as well as two regional projects in Southern and Western Africa where progress would be tracked through defined indicators.

Beyond security, Mr. Domínguez emphasized the need for countries to prepare for wider global challenges including the energy transition, the adoption of biofuels, and financing mechanisms to support training of seafarers, infrastructure development and the adoption of future fuels.

He praised Nigeria’s Blue Economy Policy as a forward-looking initiative for harnessing marine resources sustainably and expressed admiration for the facilities at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, especially the training infrastructure. He encouraged greater collaboration between the academy, the Ministry of Education and industry stakeholders to guide young Nigerians in pursuing maritime careers.

Oyetola said the IMO chief’s visit reflected the strength of Nigeria’s relationship with the global maritime body.

He noted that Nigeria’s partnership with the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders had been pivotal in suppressing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and reaffirmed the country’s determination to consolidate recent gains and expand opportunities in the marine and blue economy.

He thanked Mr. Domínguez for choosing Nigeria for the visit and expressed optimism that the discussions would further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During the visit, presentations were delivered by top government officials and key stakeholders in the sector.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, highlighted ongoing reforms and initiatives in security, seafarer welfare and regulatory frameworks aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading maritime nation.

The Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Dr. Kevin Okonna, showcased the academy’s modern training facilities and underscored the importance of international partnerships in cadet exchange and simulator-based training.

The Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Mr. Wang Qiang, outlined the port’s role in boosting Nigeria’s cargo handling capacity, creating jobs and attracting long-term foreign investments.

Mr. Domínguez also interacted with cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, urging them to embrace emerging opportunities in the maritime sector, particularly in renewable energy, green shipping and maritime technology.

He reaffirmed IMO’s commitment to working closely with Nigeria to strengthen maritime safety, enhance governance structures, and drive the sustainable growth of the blue economy, noting that the country’s achievements already serve as a model of excellence for Africa and beyond.

Headlines

Kukah, Fayemi, Anya, Mohammed endorse “Beneath the Surface”

By our Reporter

A distinguished group of Nigerian thought leaders has endorsed “Beneath the Surface,” a compelling collection of essays and public policy analyses by Dr Dakuku Peterside.

Their endorsements, representing the Church, academia, and public service, highlight the book’s significance to Nigeria’s democratic evolution, governance challenges, and human development discourse.

Bishop Matthew Kukah, a prominent Catholic bishop and advocate for justice and democracy; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State and war studies scholar; Prof. Anya O. Anya, former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science and founding Director-General of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group; and Prof. Kyari Mohammed, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University of Technology as well as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, have all praised Peterside’s new volume.

Bishop Matthew Kukah, author of Religion, Politics and Power in Northern Nigeria (1993), Democracy and Civil Society in Nigeria (2001), and The Church and the Politics of Social Responsibility (2007), writes: “Dr. Dakuku Peterside has served us a salad plate of exquisite writing, flowing in prescient prose and narration, an in-depth kaleidoscope of exciting and alluring themes.

“The author has opened a window for future exploration of the options for a new Nigeria.”

Dr Kayode Fayemi, author of “If This Giant Must Rise” and former Governor of Ekiti State, observes: “Every so often, we come across remarkable individuals who revive the politician as a public intellectual in our challenged polity.

“With his incisive and irreverent op-eds now compiled in this volume of essays, Dakuku Peterside offers us a valuable opportunity to learn from his fertile mind about our national foibles and the immense possibilities of building a nation where justice and peace prevail. It is a must-read!”

Professor Emeritus, Anya O. Anya, national merit award winner, adds: “This book is insightful, incisive, and above all, written from the perspective of Dakuku Peterside’s exceptional experience within the Nigerian context.

“Only a man of his wide-ranging service in Nigeria could produce such a unique collection of essays that are intellectually challenging yet easy to read.

“As you journey through this fascinating book, you cannot help but ask: why, despite our rich pool of exceptional human talent and resources, does Nigeria perform so poorly?”

Prof. Kyari Mohammed, historian and former Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, and pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, states: “Beneath the Surface -offers an insightful and comprehensive exploration of the complex Nigerian state and society.

” In this nuanced and engaging appraisal of his country, Dr. Peterside avoids lamentations, instead deftly pointing the way forward.

“This book is essential reading for policymakers, academics, and the general public.”

“Beneath the Surface” gathers Dakuku Peterside’s most incisive essays on Nigeria’s politics, governance, economy, and society.

Combining straightforward storytelling with rigorous analysis, the book examines the causes of national underperformance and charts practical pathways to reform grounded in accountability, institutional renewal, and human development.

It is written for public officials, business leaders, scholars, students, and citizens seeking a more precise understanding—and better solutions—beneath the noise.