By Abbas Nazil
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has expressed profound dismay over the underutilization of Nigeria’s vast maritime industry.
Speaking at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) during the Defence Week Course for Course 46 participants, Vice Admiral Ogalla
said the industry has the potential to contribute an estimated N7 trillion annually to the nation’s economy.
Represented by Rear Admiral Gabriel Sunday Martins Adegboye, the CNS expressed the urgent need for the country to address longstanding issues to unlock this potential.
He expressed grief that although the maritime sector is central to Nigeria’s economic aspirations, it is held back by outdated regulatory frameworks and restrictive regulations that deter both domestic and foreign investment.
Vice Admiral Ogalla, therefore, emphasized the necessity of a comprehensive review of these frameworks to incorporate digitalization across all processes.
He urged the federal government to prioritize the drafting and passage of a revised regulatory bill, recommending that the Attorney General present the bill to the National Assembly with a target deadline of December 2025 for the President’s assent.
Ogalla observed that technology adoption and digital literacy gaps further compound the challenges faced by the industry, saying that while younger generations exhibit increasing digital proficiency, a significant portion of the population, including many business leaders, lacks the skills necessary to drive digital transformation.
This digital skills gap, he said, limits Nigeria’s capacity to fully leverage its digital economy, hindering growth and innovation across sectors.
The CNS also raised concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities, noting that Nigeria’s digital infrastructure remains underdeveloped and ill-equipped to counter sophisticated cyber threats.
Ogalla said the absence of a comprehensive cybercrime framework and a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals leave critical national assets at risk of exploitation.
He called for the establishment of a central digital hub for maritime operations as part of a broader strategy to enhance the industry’s efficiency and security.
The Defence Week lectures featured contributions from other security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Correctional Service. Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commandant-General of the NSCDC, discussed the role of digital technology in protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, underscoring the importance of integrating technology to safeguard the nation’s resources.
The week-long event, themed “Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Development,” highlighted the importance of modernizing Nigeria’s regulatory and technological landscape to unlock the country’s economic potential and secure its digital and physical assets.