Nigeria, Ghana deepen bilateral maritime cooperation

By Anozie Egole

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Ghana Maritime Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation, enhance regional maritime governance, and promote the sustainable development of the Blue Economy across West Africa.

The Deputy Director/Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, Osagie Edward, announced this in a statement over the weekend obtained by The PUNCH.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lagos, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, expressed appreciation to Ghana for its support during Nigeria’s successful re-election to the International Maritime Organisation Category C Council, noting that the longstanding relationship between both countries continues to advance maritime development within the region.

He stated that the MoU provides a practical framework for deeper collaboration in maritime safety and security, “mutual recognition of Certificates of Competency, institutional capacity building, knowledge sharing, comparative research, joint enforcement initiatives, and regional cooperation at international maritime fora.”

According to Mobereola, the partnership must be driven by measurable outcomes through a structured implementation process.

“We will continue to work together to grow our economies and make the maritime sector safer. This Memorandum of Understanding is a commitment to do better. NIMASA will fully play its part in implementing the agreement, while both institutions must establish annual implementation agendas to monitor progress and deliver tangible results,” he said.

The NIMASA DG noted that Nigeria and Ghana, as leading maritime nations in the sub-region, have a shared responsibility to shape the future of maritime development in West and Central Africa.