The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has unveiled newly acquired security assets to strengthen surveillance and sustain efforts to combat piracy and other maritime crimes.
The assets, unveiled at the 2026 Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX), include vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles, armoured vehicles, light utility vehicles designed for bush and land-based operations, advanced surveillance technology and specialised tactical equipment.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the new equipment would enhance the operational sustainability of the project and provide military personnel deployed under the initiative with the necessary resources to tackle piracy and other illegal activities in Nigerian waters.
He said the acquisitions were part of efforts to strengthen the operational capacity of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project.
Mobereola, who was represented by the Head of the Deep Blue Unit, Aisha Yakubu Idris, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to maritime criminality.
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The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), was among the dignitaries who visited the NIMASA stand at the exhibition, where he witnessed a tactical demonstration simulating a piracy attack in Nigerian waters.
The Chief Executive Officer of HLS International, the technical partner to the Deep Blue Project, Tal Spektor, emphasised the importance of regularly upgrading security equipment to respond effectively to evolving maritime threats.
He said maritime security operations must extend beyond the sea, explaining that illegal offshore activities were often linked to land-based operations.
Spektor also disclosed that improvements to the project’s intelligence systems had enhanced cargo monitoring and information sharing between NIMASA and other government agencies.
AFRIDEX 2026 brought together security organisations from different countries, senior military officers and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
