NIMASA, Nigerian Air Force agree to collaborate on tactical air support for Deep Blue Project
By Uzor Odigbo
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is seeking enhanced cooperation with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to strengthen tactical air support for the Deep Blue Project.
Dr. Mobereola made the call during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal S. K. Aneke, at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
He described the Air Force as a strategic partner in enhancing maritime security in Nigeria and sustaining the success of the Deep Blue Project.
According to the NIMASA DG, “We are here to seek the Air Force’s support, given the importance of tactical air surveillance to the Deep Blue Project. Nigeria is the only African country with a record of zero piracy in the last four years.
“The Deep Blue Project platforms have been used to achieve zero piracy and sea robberies in the Gulf of Guinea, and we need your collaboration to sustain this momentum.”
Dr. Mobereola further stressed that international trade depends on security, which is why vessels prefer to call at or transit through countries where they feel secure.
“With the volume of traffic we have now, we need to demonstrate stronger security through collaboration to enhance our trade viability, given the risks associated with our route. We need this collaboration to sustain what we have achieved so far with the Deep Blue Project.”
The NIMASA DG expressed hope that the partnership with the Nigerian Air Force would reduce response time.
On his part, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal S. K. Aneke, said the Air Force is ready to be “a very supportive and collaborative partner with NIMASA and is prepared to match the agency step by step and side by side to achieve the desired results.”
He added: “Collaboration between NIMASA and the Nigerian Air Force under the Deep Blue Project can be strengthened through a joint strategic framework, integrated command structures, and a standing steering committee to ensure shared objectives and accountability. Establishing a joint maritime domain awareness fusion cell will enable real-time intelligence sharing, synchronized surveillance, and faster response to maritime threats, thereby ensuring sustained operational effectiveness across Nigeria’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.”
Air Marshal Aneke said the Air Force could also support NIMASA beyond the Deep Blue Project by providing its own ISR platforms, tactical air support, and rapid airborne deployment for interdictions and search-and-rescue missions.
While thanking the NIMASA DG for the basic training the agency has provided to aircraft pilots under the Deep Blue Project, the Air Force Chief highlighted several operational challenges requiring urgent attention. These include bridging the communication gap between NAF operators and NIMASA, higher-level and in-depth maintenance training, readily available aircraft fuelling to avoid mission delays, and the provision of flying kits, among others.
He pledged the Air Force’s full collaboration and assured that NIMASA’s request had been noted, adding that “things will begin to move at three times the current speed going forward.”
