By Tunde Ojudun
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening maritime security through the expansion of its flagship Deep Blue Project.
Dr. Mobereola made this known during a strategic visit to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abass, at Naval Headquarters in Abuja. He emphasized the importance of sustaining and scaling the project, which has already earned global recognition for reducing insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
“Our purpose here is to congratulate you and to discuss the benefits of the Deep Blue Project; how to sustain it, expand it, and increase its impact in the Gulf of Guinea,” he stated.
Vice Admiral Abass commended NIMASA’s achievements and underscored the need to revisit the 2007 MoU between the Navy and NIMASA to deepen collaboration. He highlighted areas where the Navy could provide support, including vessel repair, hydrographic surveys, and wreck removal, particularly ahead of the Navy’s 70th Anniversary.
The visit also touched on NIMASA’s recent launch of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) Application Portal, with the CNS acknowledging the agency’s progress in disbursement plans.
Dr. Mobereola concluded by stressing officer welfare, health consciousness, and knowledge transfer as essential pillars for sustaining maritime safety and security.