By Our Correspondent
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has strengthened the operational capacity of its Deep Blue Project with the acquisition of additional security assets to enhance maritime surveillance and combat piracy and other criminal activities in Nigeria waters.
The newly acquired equipment was unveiled at the 2026 Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX), held at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, from October 26 to 29 November, 2026.
The assets include light utility vehicles for land-based and bush operations, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles, newly delivered armoured vehicles and specialised tactical equipment.
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), was among the dignitaries who visited the Deep Blue Project exhibition stand, where he witnessed a tactical simulation demonstrating security forces’ response to a piracy attack in Nigerian waters.
Speaking on the development, NIMASA Director-General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the additional equipment would enhance the project’s operational efficiency and sustainability while providing military personnel deployed under the initiative with the tools required to tackle emerging maritime security threats.
Mobereola, represented by the Head, Deep Blue Unit, Aisha Yakubu Idris, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to maintaining zero tolerance for illegal activities within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“NIMASA would continue to invest in the initiative to consolidate the country’s achievements in combating piracy and other maritime-related crimes, he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of HLS International, the project’s technical partner, Tal Spektor, stressed the need for continuous investment in modern security infrastructure to address evolving threats in the maritime sector.
Spektor explained that maritime security operations should extend beyond territorial waters, noting that illegal offshore activities were often linked to criminal networks operating on land.
He also disclosed that upgrades to the project’s intelligence systems had improved cargo monitoring and strengthened information-sharing mechanisms between NIMASA and other government agencies.
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