The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched a special maritime enforcement operation across key operational areas in Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen compliance and tackle illegal activities on Nigerian waterways.
The operation, code-named “Blue-Green,” involved the deployment of assets under the Deep Blue maritime security structure, alongside other relevant maritime security units.
According to NIMASA, the operation combined intelligence gathering, analysis, target development and coordinated enforcement at sea. A new specialised intelligence capability within the agency’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) system was also deployed.
The new capability is designed to improve the identification, assessment and prioritisation of vessels considered to be of interest to enforcement authorities. It also provides real-time intelligence support to enforcement teams during operations.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the agency plans to make the Blue-Green operation a regular enforcement model.
He said the agency would progressively expand similar operations to other maritime regions, including Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri, depending on operational readiness and intelligence priorities.
During the Lagos operation, several vessels were boarded and inspected. The inspections focused on documentation and regulatory compliance.
Areas checked included statutory certification, cargo and voyage documents, surcharge obligations and compliance with Nigeria’s Cabotage requirements.
Mobereola said the deployment of multiple enforcement platforms was intended to serve as a deterrent to criminal activities on the waterways. He also acknowledged the cooperation of the armed forces during the operation.
NIMASA said the Blue-Green operation demonstrated the benefits of combining intelligence capabilities with Deep Blue maritime assets. The agency said the approach would provide a foundation for more structured and sustained enforcement activities across Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The agency also linked the operation to its broader objective of improving maritime compliance and supporting revenue generation within the sector.
The latest development comes as Nigeria continues to strengthen maritime security and regulatory enforcement, with NIMASA maintaining that intelligence-led operations will form an important part of future enforcement activities.
