Roamrepporters Online
“From Tinubu’s strategy talks to UNILAG’s maritime Institute, Dominguez affirms Nigeria’s role as a Global Partner — not spectator — in the Blue Economy”.
In a milestone diplomatic engagement that reflects Nigeria’s growing influence on the global maritime stage, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr Arsenio Dominguez, paid a strategic visit to the Nigeria — holding talks with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, inspecting national security assets, and reaffirming the nation’s pivotal role in shaping the future of global maritime governance.
Far from Being a Ceremonial Courtesy call : The visit spotlighted Nigeria’s shift from being merely a beneficiary of international support to a trusted co-architect of global maritime solutions — from security to sustainability, education to innovation.
Accompanied by the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, the IMO Secretary-General was received by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON — whose leadership continues to reposition the sector as a powerful post-oil economic engine for Nigeria.
Reinforcing Nigeria’s Place at the Global Table: During his audience with President Tinubu, discussions centred on widening maritime cooperation — focusing on safety, innovation, talent development, environmental sustainability and clean ocean governance. Both leaders aligned strongly on the reality that strategic partnerships are the bedrock of shared global progress, mirroring the spirit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnership for the Goals).
Deep Blue, Deeper Confidence: At the NIMASA C4i Centre — the command hub for Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project — Mr Dominguez witnessed firsthand the fusion of technology, intelligence and rapid response capabilities safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea. Additional simulations at the Ojo Cantonment further reaffirmed the success of Nigeria’s multi-agency security coordination with the Armed Forces, significantly credited for the decline in piracy incidents.
Education as the true anchor of the future: A major highlight was the IMO Chief’s visit to the Institute of Maritime Studies at the University of Lagos — fully sponsored by NIMASA — where he directly engaged young Nigerian maritime scholars and future industry leaders. He lauded the initiative as a model global template for maritime talent acceleration and urged students to leverage the IMO’s digital learning platforms.
Minister Oyetola reinforced government commitment to maritime education as the cornerstone of national economic transformation, positioning the sector as Nigeria’s “next frontier after oil.”
Nigeria is Ready : Not as a follower, but as a partner
From technology to talent, diplomacy to security, Mr. Dominguez’s engagements affirmed what Nigeria has consistently demonstrated — that its maritime future will be built on partnership, powered by vision, and delivered with global relevance.
Under Minister Oyetola’s policy direction and Dr Mobereola’s execution at NIMASA, Nigeria is actively transitioning from reactive to proactive, from potential to performance, and now stands ready to co-lead the future of global maritime cooperation.
