The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) has emphasised the need for stronger cooperation among regional and international navies to effectively address maritime threats that transcend national boundaries.
The CNS stated this during a high-level engagement with the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Nigeria, His Excellency Mr Miah Md Mainul Kabir, who visited the Nigerian Navy to explore deeper maritime security and defence cooperation between both countries.
In a statement, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the meeting focused on strengthening collaboration in maritime security, professional training, technology exchange, naval shipbuilding and defence-industrial development.
During the engagement, the Bangladesh High Commissioner reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepening defence and maritime security cooperation with the Nigerian Navy, stressing the need to translate the longstanding cordial relationship between both countries into practical areas of collaboration.
Responding, the CNS appreciated the High Commissioner and his delegation for the visit and highlighted Nigeria’s operational experience in combating piracy and other maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that Nigeria’s experience in maritime security provides opportunities for professional exchanges and shared learning, while stressing that stronger cooperation among navies remains essential to tackling maritime threats across borders.
The CNS also referenced Nigeria’s participation in multinational maritime security initiatives, including its engagement with the Combined Maritime Task Force, noting that such frameworks could be leveraged in efforts to counter militancy along the maritime border between Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The meeting further explored opportunities for training and professional exchanges, naval technology, shipbuilding and indigenous industrial development.
The Nigerian Navy also expressed interest in Bangladesh’s garment manufacturing industry as a potential area for knowledge sharing to support local production of military uniforms.
Both sides additionally examined prospects for technical cooperation in naval shipbuilding and other areas of defence-industrial development.
The engagement concluded with an invitation to the Chief of the Naval Staff to visit Bangladesh, an opportunity expected to further advance areas of mutual interest between the two countries.
The meeting underscored the importance of sustained engagement between the Nigerian Navy and other world navies in strengthening maritime security, developing professional and technical capacity, promoting indigenous defence-industrial capabilities and advancing mutually beneficial bilateral relations.
