The robust relationship between the Nigerian Navy and its Pakistani counterpart has resulted in Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral E.I Ogala, delivering lectures on the “challenges and opportunities for the Nigerian Navy in the 21st century.”
The zoom lecture, which held on March 27, 2024 saw excited staff of the participating Pakistani Navy asking relevant questions relating to the subject matter; while the CNS was on hand to proffer answers to the questions.
A statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu said the relationship between both navies had been on for years.
According to him, the lecture by the Chief of the Naval Staff to participants of the 53rd Pakistani Navy Staff course via zoom is another testament to the long-standing relationship between both navies. Through the lecture, the navy boss further strengthened the Nigeria-Pakistani relations in the global maritime space.
The statement added that the relationship is characterised by various exchange programmes between both navies, citing the participants of PNWC visited Nigeria on a study tour in February 2024.
During the tour they visited the Headquarters Western Naval Command and some other naval bases in Lagos area. Similarly, there have been regular exchanges of Directing Staff (DS) between both colleges. For instance, Cdre CU Yahaya visited the PNWC on a two-week DS in exchange programme in 2021 and in September of 2022, Commander BashirShazad reciprocated by spending two weeks at the Naval War College Nigeria.
More recently, Commodore SM Tasiu of the Nigerian Navy also spent two weeks in PNWC in January2024. These DS exchange programmes have significant impact on intellectual maritime discourse and efforts to harness the potentials of the Blue Economy for both nations.
Additionally, these interactions are credible indicators of increased recognition and acceptance of the Nigerian Navy influence in the area of global maritime security.
