Abuja: The National Hydrographic Agency (NHA) is set to commemorate World Hydrography Day (WHD) with a massive upgrade to the Nigerian Maritime Navigation System. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Hydrographer of the Federation, Rear Adm. Olumide Fadahunsi, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at a news conference ahead of the commemoration of the world event.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Fadahunsi stated that the theme for the 2026 WHD ‘Transforming How Ocean Data is Shared’, aimed to support the planned uptake of S-100-based data services, with a particular focus on S-101 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) and S-102 Bathymetric Surface products. He noted that the theme underpinned the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved acceptance of S-100 ECDIS as a regular means of navigation in international shipping, and highlighted ongoing collaboration with international bodies like the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Fadahunsi explained that despite the underlying technicalities, the International Hydrography Organisation (IHO) deliberately framed the theme in clear, non-technical language to engage a broad range of stakeholders. “It is to go beyond hydrographers and navigation specialists and include policymakers, industry, academia and the general public,” he said.
This initiative, he said, provides an important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase how modern hydrography and digital ocean-data services support maritime safety, efficient trade, offshore operations, and environmental stewardship. “Hydrography remains the bedrock of maritime safety, ocean governance and environmental protection, hence accurate charts and ocean-data products derived from modern surveys are essential for safe navigation, port development, offshore energy, submarine cable and pipeline routing, fisheries management, and coastal-resilience planning.”
The NHA chief executive officer revealed that the 2026 plenary session, which forms the core of Nigeria’s WHD celebration, would be held on June 20, at Lagos Oriental Hotel. This event will bring together subject-matter experts, researchers, policy leaders, hydrographic authorities, industry partners, and development agencies to examine how improved ocean-data sharing can strengthen navigation safety, maritime administration, and Blue Economy growth in Nigeria and across Africa.
The plenary will feature three technical papers, each aligned with the 2026 WHD theme and the broader transition to modern, interoperable ocean-data systems. According to him, Paper one will deal with ‘Transforming Ocean Data for Inclusive Governance: Strengthening Equity, Transparency and Community Participation in Africa’s Blue Economy’. Paper two will focus on ‘Harnessing Geospatial Intelligence to Enhance Ocean Data Sharing and Marine Decision Support in Africa’. The third paper will discuss ‘Transforming Ocean Data into Strategic Assets: Enabling Sustainable Offshore Energy and Indigenous Oil and Gas Leadership in Africa’.
Fadahunsi emphasized that these papers would collectively explore how inclusive governance, geospatial intelligence, and strategic use of ocean data could transform the way information flowed between hydrographic offices and mariners, as well as between regulators, industry, and communities, reflecting the IHO’s emphasis on S-100-based services, interoperability, and collaboration.
The hydrographer of the federation explained that the plenary session aims to foster a better national and regional understanding of the importance of transforming how ocean data is shared, particularly through the adoption of S-100-based products and services for safe navigation and maritime administration. It seeks to achieve stronger collaboration among hydrographic offices, maritime authorities, academic institutions, regulators, and private-sector actors on digital ocean-data innovation and service delivery.
Furthermore, Nigeria’s celebration of the 2026 WHD aligns with wider international agendas, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life Below Water, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), both of which highlight the need for better ocean data to support conservation, sustainable use of marine resources, and climate-resilient development. “By embracing the IHO’s theme, Nigeria positions itself as an active contributor to global efforts to modernise ocean-information systems for the benefit of shipping, coastal communities, and the environment,” Fadahunsi added.
He urged stakeholders to work collectively to transform how ocean data is shared with a view to securing safer, smarter, and more sustainable oceans for the future.