Maritime Security: Denmark, Nigeria Explore Intelligence Sharing to Sustain Gulf of Guinea Safety

By Stella Okocha 

The Danish Government has pledged to deepen cooperation with Nigeria on maritime security, focusing on intelligence sharing and capacity building to sustain security gains in the Gulf of Guinea.

The commitment was made during a meeting between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and a Danish delegation at the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos.

Sustainability Lead and Senior Advisor, Maritime Energy, Water and Environment Trade Council of Denmark, Tumi Onamade; presenting a plaque to the Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola; during a follow-up meeting on the future scope of Denmark-Nigeria cooperation on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, held at the headquarters of NIMASA in Lagos.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who led the NIMASA team, received the Danish delegation led by Ms. Tumi Onamade, Sustainability Lead and Senior Advisor, Maritime Energy, Water and Environment, Trade Council of Denmark.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Mobereola said effective maritime security requires proactive collaboration among stakeholders.

“Collaboration is essential to maritime security, and it must be proactive. We need stronger cooperation in capacity building, information sharing and intelligence gathering, supported by effective integration between Nigeria and Denmark, to ensure that we can respond more effectively to emerging security challenges,” he said.

The NIMASA DG reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime domain and contributing to overall security in the Gulf of Guinea. He noted Nigeria’s strategic position as one of Africa’s largest markets, which presents opportunities for broader bilateral engagement.

Mobereola also called for opportunities for Nigerian cadets to undertake sea-time training on board vessels, stressing that such arrangements would support the development of competent seafarers and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime human capacity.

In her remarks, Ms. Onamade reaffirmed Denmark’s interest in strengthening its relationship with Nigeria, describing both nations as key maritime nations with shared interests in security and sectoral development. She acknowledged Nigeria’s leading role in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Strengthening collaboration between Nigeria and Denmark is essential to building capacity and sustaining maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. As we look towards the next phase of this partnership, it is important to consolidate the gains made and identify practical areas for deeper cooperation,” she said.

She disclosed that Denmark’s Maritime Security Programme for the Gulf of Guinea, which has spanned over a decade, is approaching the end of its current phase in December 2026, and stressed the need to ensure future cooperation builds on existing achievements.

The meeting forms part of ongoing engagements to determine the future scope and priorities of the Nigeria-Denmark maritime security partnership, with emphasis on strengthening cooperation, improving operational capacity and sustaining maritime security in Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea region.