At the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between the Nigerian Navy and National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), it was revealed that since the exclusion of Nigeria from the list of piracy-prone countries by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), due to improved security of the maritime domain by the Nigerian Navy, there has been a drastic fall of insurance premium paid by ships sailing into the country from $5,000 to $946.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, affirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to retain the feat. High insurance premium — also known as war risk premium — which was previously diverted into shipping cost due to recurrent piracy incidences, has been reduced. These high costs also used to be factored to consumers to help shipping companies recover from their losses. NASENI was also commended for its efforts to collaborate with the Nigerian Navy in the aspect of research and development.
Agreement would re-ignite the partnership between Nigerian Navy and NASENI.
The collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) warranted the visit to the Naval Dockyard in Lagos as a step in improving Nigerian Navy’s efforts on local ship construction. Efforts at building an indigenous ship has increased the presence of Nigerian Navy at sea, thereby significantly reducing incidents of piracy — an act which led to the deletion of Nigeria from the list of piracy-prone countries. Vice Admiral Gambo therefore express excitement at what the MoU represents.
Nigerian Navy’s boss applauded the efforts of NASENI which is channeled at redesigning the dynamics of engineering and enabling facilitation of initiatives for research and development in every aspect of human endeavor, in Nigeria and across the world. The Memorandum of Understanding is considered as a re-ignition of the partnership between the Nigerian Navy and NASENI in many ways that include promotion of mutual synergy for enhancement of R&D for improved security and enablement of operations and administrative engagements that would aid development of sustainable blue economy for the country’s prosperity.
Partnership between the two parties is considered historic.
In the same vein, Vice Admiral Gambo showed appreciation to the federal government for its sustained efforts and support which contributed immensely to the feats recorded by the Nigerian Navy. In particular, he expressed profound gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, who also is the Executive Chairman Board of NASENI, on behalf of the Nigerian Navy. Due appreciation was also directed to the technical committee that aided the facilitation of the occasion and special appreciation to the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Muhammad Haruna.
Amidst appreciation and looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership, the Chief of Naval Staff assured the gathering of the Nigerian Navy’s capability to meet up with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding. The two parties were therefore implored to remain committed to the objectives of the MoU to enable for the good and benefits of Nigeria and Nigerians. Prof. Haruna, at the MoU ceremony, described the partnership between the Nigerian Navy and NASENI as historic.
The MoU would harmonize capacity of the Nigerian Navy.
Prof. Haruna further divulged that the vital component of the MoU is the effort implemented to save the country for spending huge foreign exchange to purchase equipment and capacity in technology and developing the capacity of the Nigerian Navy for improvement of security architecture in the maritime domain. The Chief of Naval Engineering (CONE), Rear Admiral Sulaiman El-Ladan, added that the MoU is a means of harmonizing the capacity of the Nigerian Navy and a medium for both organizations to utilize technology for shipbuilding and other areas.
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