Australia, Norway to partner NIMASA on capacity development

Australia and Norway have revealed desire to provide the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, with technical  and human capacity development support.

The countries’ representatives in Nigeria made this known on separate visits to NIMASA headquarters in Lagos, where they were received by Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, director general of the agency.

The Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Angela Tierney, during her visit, commended NIMASA’s human capacity building drive and conveyed the willingness of her country to work with the agency in building the requisite capacity for the industry.

Earlier, the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Rolf Ree, had during his visit, also stated his country’s readiness for the provision of technical support to NIMASA towards realising the full potentials of the Nigerian maritime industry.

Receiving the envoys, Akpobolokemi said the Agency would appreciate partnership with major maritime nations such as Australia and Norway particularly in the area of capacity building.

“Australia is a nation that enjoys high respect among the comity of maritime nations, and partnership with your country will surely help us realise the potentials of building a competent workforce that is poised to take the Nigerian maritime sector to greater heights,” Akpobolokemi told the Australian deputy high commissioner.

While meeting with the Norwegian ambassador, the director general noted with delight “the support so far given the Agency by your country has been of immense benefit to the maritime sector locally”. He urged them not to relent in their support, as such will continue to help grow Nigeria as a maritime nation.

He assured the envoys of an improvement in monitoring Nigeria’s maritime domain in real time using satellite surveillance system that covers the whole of Nigeria’s coast and the Gulf of Guinea. This progress, he said, should attract more commercial activity from around the world.