NNS Quorra, MARCON move to deepen information, crisis communication
Navy training school to consider media input in officers’ capacity building
Maureen Aguta
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Quorra and the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) have moved to deepen collaboration on information management, media relations and crisis communication in the maritime sector.
The initiative was discussed when the executive members of MARCON, led by its President, Ismail Aniemu, paid a courtesy visit to the naval training institution.
Speaking during the visit, Deputy Commandant of NNS Quorra, Navy Captain Dantani Bukar, described the engagement as a welcome development, stressing the importance of effective information sharing between the Navy and the media.
Bukar said the command would identify areas where MARCON could contribute to the training of naval personnel, particularly in media relations, publicity and strategic communication.
He described NNS Quorra as one of the country’s foremost professional maritime training institutions, noting that the school had continued to prepare officers and men for the demands of their operational assignments.
According to him, maintaining high training standards remains critical to producing competent personnel capable of responding effectively to emerging maritime security challenges.
He added that the command would consider involving media and information professionals in relevant training programmes, seminars and lectures, while creating opportunities for MARCON members to contribute their expertise.
Earlier, Aniemu said the Nigerian Navy’s achievements in securing the nation’s maritime domain were closely linked to the quality of training provided to its personnel.
He said the visit was aimed at strengthening professional relations between maritime journalists and the Navy, while creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and better communication across the maritime sector.
The MARCON president commended NNS Quorra for its contribution to human-capacity development in the Navy, stressing that competent manpower was essential to effective maritime security operations.
He said MARCON was particularly interested in developing an inter-organisational relationship with the institution in the areas of media relations, information management and crisis communication.
“Information management and crisis management are the nexus,” Aniemu said, stressing that naval officers operating at both tactical and strategic levels required adequate knowledge of information management.
He proposed the incorporation of the subjects into relevant training modules at Quorra, with MARCON providing experienced practitioners and contemporary industry knowledge.
Aniemu said the rapidly changing nature of the maritime sector required training institutions to continually update their knowledge, methods and approaches to emerging challenges.
“The way problems of 10 years ago were solved, if we try to apply the same solution to a 2026 problem with a 2016 solution, we are likely to meet a brick wall because things are changing,” he said.
He said MARCON was prepared to support lectures, seminars and other capacity-building programmes organised by NNS Quorra, adding that interaction between practitioners and naval trainees would provide an opportunity to bridge classroom knowledge with contemporary field experience.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen the interface between the Navy and maritime media, particularly in the areas of public communication, crisis response and professional information management.