Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched a coordinated intelligence-led maritime enforcement operation, codenamed “Blue-Green,” across key operational areas in Lagos, deploying assets of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project, alongside other maritime security units.
The operation, which combined intelligence gathering, analysis, target development and coordinated enforcement at sea, is part of efforts by NIMASA to strengthen maritime compliance, deter criminal activities and improve revenue generation in the sector.
A major feature of the operation was the deployment of a new specialised intelligence capability within the NIMASA Deep Blue and its Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) system, designed to enhance the identification, assessment and prioritisation of vessels of interest.
The new capability provided real-time intelligence support to enforcement teams, enabling them to conduct more focused vessel targeting and inspections during the operation.
Speaking on the exercise, NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said the success of the operation had prompted the Agency to make “Blue-Green” a recurring intelligence-led enforcement model.
According to him, NIMASA would also extend similar operations to other maritime regions as operational readiness and intelligence priorities dictate.
“Following the outcome of the operation, we at NIMASA will formalise Blue-Green as a recurring intelligence-led enforcement model and progressively expand similar operations to other maritime regions, including Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri, in line with operational readiness and intelligence priorities,” Mobereola said.
He explained that the deployment of multiple enforcement platforms was also intended to serve as a strong deterrent to individuals and operators with criminal intentions in Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“This deployment of multiple enforcement platforms is to serve as deterrent to anybody with criminal intentions. We are glad with the level of cooperation from the armed forces,” the NIMASA DG stated.
During the operation, several vessels were boarded and subjected to inspection as enforcement teams carried out document verification and compliance screening.
The inspections covered statutory certificates, cargo and voyage documentation, surcharge obligations and compliance with the provisions of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, among other regulatory requirements.
NIMASA said the operation demonstrated the growing value of integrating its regulatory and enforcement capabilities with the intelligence resources of the C4i system and maritime assets of the Deep Blue Project.
The Agency noted that the approach would provide a foundation for more structured and sustained intelligence-led enforcement operations, with the broader objective of improving maritime compliance, strengthening security and boosting government revenue from the sector.
With the planned expansion of the Blue-Green model beyond Lagos, NIMASA is positioning intelligence-driven enforcement as a more permanent feature of its regulatory strategy across Nigeria’s maritime domain.