The Nigerian Navy (NN), on Thursday, reaffirmed its commitment to improve maritime security in the nation’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea. 

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, reaffirmed this commitment at a symposium organised by NN to commemorate 2024 World Hydrography Day, in Abuja. 

He also reaffirmed the Service’s resolve to sustain its collaboration with the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the National Hydrography Agency as well as other stakeholders towards ensuring maritime security for the actualisation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.

Ogalla noted that the 2024 World Hydrography Day celebration is coming at a time efforts are on to harness the potentials of the Blue Economy for prosperity in Africa.   

He said: “I am glad that activities of the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with the National Hydrographic Agency are geared towards actualising this feat, particularly through systematic mapping of Nigerian waters to bolster safety of navigation for economic prosperity”. 

Ogalla said it was against this backdrop that the theme for this year’s World Hydrography Day: “Hydrography Information – Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability in Maritime Activities,” was conceptualised. 

“It is believed that this Celebration will provide a viable platform to deepen collaborations with strategic partners both local and international to support hydrography in Nigeria for sustainable maritime activities towards enhanced socio-economic development,” he added. 

The CNS said that as part of efforts to support hydrography in Nigeria, the National Hydrographic Agency was created by an Act of the National Assembly and a senior naval officer appointed as the Hydrographer of the Federation/Chief Executive Officer of the National Hydrographic Agency. 

The Agency, Ogalla revealed, is poised to provide accurate and timely hydrographic data essential for conduct of safe and efficient maritime activities.  

He recalled that the Nigerian Navy acquired two Hydrographic Survey ships, NNS LANA as well as NNS OCHUZO, which was recently commissioned in May this year during the Nigerian Navy 68th Anniversary Celebration. 

These hydrographic vessels, he said, are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, enabling comprehensive and precise surveys that culminates into production of updated navigational charts for maritime stakeholders, stressing that this would ensure safety within the nation’s maritime domain, create job opportunities as well as facilitate exploitation of the vast strategic reserve of mineral resources towards ensuring the utilisation of the enormous Blue Economy potentials for poverty eradication in line with the President’s renewed Hope Agenda and economic prosperity of country. 

In a remark, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, applauded the Nigerian Navy’s effort in guaranteeing maritime security. 

In his goodwill message, the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Bola Oyebamiji, said, Hydrography is the cornerstone of inland waterways development, maritime safety, providing the data necessary for safe navigation, efficient maritime transport, and the protection of marine ecosystems. 

He noted that accurate hydrographic surveys and updated nautical charts are essential tools that ensure the safety of mariners.