Naval Officers from 20 Nations visit NIMASA’s C4i Centre, seek deeper maritime security collaboration

On Oct 14, 2025

Naval Officers from 20 countries across the world currently on Siren Course onboard the LHD TONNERRE during a visit to the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRDC), Kirikiri Lagos.

By Maureen Aguta

Naval officers from 20 countries, currently undertaking the Siren Course aboard the French amphibious assault ship LHD TONNERRE, have paid a strategic visit to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos, as part of efforts to enhance international cooperation in maritime security.

The delegation, led by the Defence Attaché at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Oseo, described the visit as a knowledge-sharing engagement designed to foster a better understanding of how maritime administrations operate within the framework of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Safety and Security in West and Central Africa.

Colonel Oseo commended the collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA, describing it as “a model of inter-agency synergy” that has significantly improved security coordination and operational effectiveness in the Gulf of Guinea.

The 40 participants, drawn from 20 nations, have been aboard the TONNERRE since September 1st, as part of a regional security and defence capacity-building mission. Their Lagos port call featured intensive engagements with NIMASA’s Deep Blue Project officials, focusing on maritime domain awareness, information sharing, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.

The visiting officers also toured the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC), where they received briefings on Nigeria’s protocols for maritime search and rescue operations, as well as the country’s broader response framework for incidents at sea.

From 6th left: Deputy Director, Deep Blue Project, NIMASA, Easton Tuti; Director Marine Environment Management, NIMASA, Heaky Dimowo; French Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Colonel Stéphane Oseo; and others during the visit by naval officers from 20 countries currently on the Siren Course onboard the LHD TONNERRE to NIMASA in Lagos

Welcoming the delegation, NIMASA Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola—represented by the Director of Marine Environment Management, Mr. Heaky Dimowo—reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to deepening regional collaboration and sustaining the gains made under the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.

“Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is a shared responsibility,” Dr. Mobereola stated. “Through continuous cooperation, information exchange, and capacity building, we can ensure safer and more secure waters for global trade.”

The visit underscores Nigeria’s growing leadership role in regional maritime governance and highlights NIMASA’s expanding engagement with international partners in the collective fight against piracy and other maritime crimes.