NIMASA Unveils New Tactical Assets to Boost Fight Against Maritime Piracy

By Adebola Muili

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has unveiled newly acquired security assets, including drones, armoured vehicles and advanced surveillance equipment, to strengthen the fight against piracy and other criminal activities in Nigeria’s territorial waters.

The new assets, unveiled at the 2026 Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX), are designed to improve the operational capacity of personnel deployed under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project.

The equipment includes light utility vehicles designed for bush and land-based operations, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles, newly delivered armoured vehicles and specialised tactical equipment for maritime security operations.

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Homeland Security International (HLSI), Tal Spektor; Executive Director, Finance and Administration, NIMASA, Mr. Chudi Offodile; Assistant Director, Deep Blue Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Mr. Yusuf Shehu; a staff of the Deep Blue of NIMASA, former Head, Deep Blue NIMASA, Mrs. Gladys Owolabi (rtd) at the 2026 Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX).

The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the acquisitions were intended to strengthen the sustainability of the Deep Blue Project and ensure that military personnel deployed under the initiative had adequate equipment to tackle piracy and other maritime security threats.

Mobereola, who was represented by the Head of the Deep Blue Unit, Aisha Yakubu Idris, reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to sustain its zero-tolerance policy towards illegal activities in its waters.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), was among dignitaries who visited the NIMASA Deep Blue stand at the exhibition, where he witnessed a tactical simulation demonstrating the project’s response to a piracy attack in Nigerian waters.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of HLS International, the technical partner of the Deep Blue Project, Tal Spektor, stressed the importance of regularly upgrading security assets to keep pace with evolving maritime threats.

Spektor noted that effective maritime security required operations beyond the sea, explaining that illegal offshore activities often had connections with criminal operations on land.

He also said improvements to the project’s intelligence systems had enhanced cargo monitoring and information sharing between NIMASA and other government agencies.

The development, he noted, had strengthened the capacity of relevant agencies to monitor activities and exchange intelligence in addressing maritime security challenges.

AFRIDEX 2026 attracted security organisations from different countries, alongside senior military officers and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector.