By Evelyn Usman

In a bid to stimulate economic growth and development, the Nigerian Navy is embarking on a new commercial venture, leveraging its expertise and resources to drive success.

According to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Navy is committed to harnessing its expertise and resources to drive economic expansion and prosperity, and has developed innovative marketing strategies to boost its business operations and increase revenue streams.

Speaking at a One- Day workshop organised by the Naval Engineering Services Limited in collaboration with Prime Atlantic Global Engineering Services , yesterday, at the Admiralty Hall, Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday, the CNS described the Naval Engineering Services Limited as a key player in the Nigerian Navy’s business concerns, as it provided engineering services to the Navy and other clients.

Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans , Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, he said the workshop themed. ‘ Navigating Commercial Water: marketing strategies for the Nigerian Navy’, he boasted that with reality on ground, Nigerians should expect significant growth and development in the Nigerian Navy’s business concerns, within the next five years.

He said ” With innovative leadership, leveraging opportunities, and partnering with the right private sector businesses, the sky is the limit.

“The Nigerian Navy has a vast coastline of 850 kilometers, offering huge opportunities for growth and development. By talent-spotting the right business owners to partner with, we can achieve great things.

“The application of these concepts and partnerships will be crucial in driving growth and development. I am confident that with the right combinations, we will see significant progress”.

He said the workshop was aimed at exploring ways to grow the business concerns of the Nigerian Navy, particularly Naval Engineering Services Limited, which is a consortium under Naval Holding Limited.

He explained that the Naval Holding Limited “is a business arm of the Nigerian Navy, established to add value to the Navy’s operational and welfare activities. The President and Chief of Naval Staff have recognized the need to grow these businesses to supplement budgetary allocations.

“The seminar has been fruitful, with collaborations across the board, including partnerships between Naval Engineering Services Limited and private business concerns. This is a bright hope for the future of these companies”, he stated.

On his part, Executive Director of Prime Atlantic Global Engineering Services, Mr. Adeola Adeyanju, stated that the partnership with the Nigerian Engineering Services Limited was aimed at supporting its growth and development.

He said, “We believe that this partnership is crucial for the Nigerian Navy to become self-sustaining and contribute more to the economy beyond its primary security role. Our goal is to equip the Navy with business acumen and learn from their expertise in return.”

He disclosed that the company’s first collaboration with the Navy was in the area of lubricants, where “we manufacture and supply products to the Navy. Additionally, we are working together on technical aspects, such as fuel management systems and tank gauging systems, to help the Navy manage its diesel consumption.

We plan to explore various areas of cooperation, including cost reduction, which is a significant aspect of the Navy’s operations. By reducing diesel consumption and developing cheaper lubricants, we can help the Navy save money and increase efficiency.”

Also speaking, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Naval Engineering Services Limited, Rear Admiral Baratuaipri Iyalla, described the company’s role as a leading provider of engineering services in the maritime industry.

He said that the company was one of 12 entities under Navy Holdings Limited, a commercial umbrella that encompasses various businesses, including the Dockyard, Shipyard, Hotels and Suites Limited, and Admiralty Maritime Services Limited.

Admiral Iyala emphasized that “Naval Engineering Services Limited is a one-stop shop for engineering services, offering logistics services, provision of spares, tools, equipment, limited manufacturing, and training. The company manufactures paints under the Hulb brand, batteries, and steel materials under the NESL metal brand, and supplies other materials for building construction.

“In addition to manufacturing, the company provides training services, including HSE training, engineering-related training, maintenance of vessels, health, safety, and environment, and general engineering training. They also offer software development services, currently developing an inventory management software for the Navy.

Iyala acknowledged the partnership with Prima Atlantic Global Engineering Services, emphasizing the company’s commitment to providing reliable services and assured potential customers of their expertise in the maritime industry.

He said the company’s goal was to become the leading firm in engineering services within the maritime states.

While encouraging potential customers to patronize their services, he expressed confidence in their ability to deliver high-quality services better than most in the industry.