The Government of Denmark has pledged its continued support for Nigeria’s maritime sector development while seeking to explore new areas of economic partnerships.
The Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jens Jansen, pledged the support during his visit to the Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency(NIMASA) Head Office in Lagos, according to a statement by Mr Edwin Osagie, Deputy Director of the agency’s Public Relations unit.
Jansen emphasised that the relationship between both countries, which spans decades, had seen the Danish government and Danish private companies invest in the Nigerian maritime industry.
He said that Denmark was willing to explore new areas of collaboration with Nigeria, especially in the area training of seafarers, maritime security support, amongst others.
Jansen said that Denmark would also support training initiatives, such as the Ship-in-a-Box (SIAB) simulator project with the UNODC, to enhance the skills of Nigerian maritime law enforcement personnel in areas like Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations.
The NIMASA Director-General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, while welcoming Jansen and other Danish officials to his office, expressed appreciation for Denmark’s continued engagement with Nigeria on maritime development.
“I would like to use this opportunity, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigerian Government, to thank the Danish Government for its long-standing support for the maritime sector.
“This (support)has seen Danish companies successfully invest in various areas of the sector, and we are confident that this relationship can only grow.
“The key areas of cooperation between both countries have focused on training and professional development for maritime security, as well as joint efforts to improve Nigeria’s maritime sector’s digital infrastructure,”Mobereola said.
He also acknowledged that Danish companies, like APM Terminals, had also made significant investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in Lagos, Onne and Kano.
