By Sylvanus OBASI
In a strategic effort to improve maritime safety and empower coastal communities, the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) convened a two-day national workshop on April 29–30, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Themed “Strengthening Safety at Sea: USSD Enhancement and Community-Based Training for Marine Artisans,” the event drew participants from across Nigeria’s marine, academic, and emergency response sectors.
The training was organized as part of the Marine and Coastal Areas Management in North and West Africa (MarCNoWA) initiative, under the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa programme.
NIOMR, serving as a strategic consortium partner, has been pivotal in deploying Earth Observation (EO) technologies to support Nigeria’s marine and coastal management agenda.
Speaking at the opening session, the Executive Director and CEO of NIOMR, Prof Abiodun Sule emphasized the Institute’s commitment to developing innovative solutions that directly impact local livelihoods.
He noted that the USSD-based Marine Safety Code: *347*87# represents a major leap toward real-time safety communication for artisanal fishers, particularly those operating in underserved coastal regions.
The workshop focused on enhancing the functionality and accessibility of the USSD code, a low-tech but high-impact digital tool that delivers vital marine safety information to users without requiring internet connectivity. Through this service, fishers can access daily data on wave conditions, sea surface roughness, and wind intensity using any basic mobile phone.
Participants explored how this innovation bridges the technological divide between high-level environmental data and grassroots users. The initiative, according to NIOMR experts, demonstrates how Earth Observation data can be democratized to support everyday decision-making in Nigeria’s marine economy.
Over 30 participants attended the event, including representatives from government agencies, universities, NGOs, and local fishing communities. Agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) were among the key stakeholders present.
Academic experts from the University of Lagos, Rivers State University, and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, also participated, contributing to technical discussions on marine data application, safety awareness, and sustainable coastal resource management; even as grassroots engagement was at the heart of the training.
Marine artisans, community fishers, and youth representatives from coastal settlements were trained on interpreting weather alerts, responding to emergencies, and adopting safe navigation practices as facilitators emphasized that basic safety habits, when combined with timely digital alerts, could significantly reduce marine accidents.
The workshop also created a platform for participants to share real-world experiences, challenges, and feedback on using the existing USSD service. These insights are expected to guide future improvements in system design, user interface, and local language accessibility.
Highlight of the engagement was the live demonstration of the enhanced USSD platform, which showcased how users could quickly access marine safety data within seconds. The feature’s simplicity and reliability were widely praised by attendees, especially those from fishing communities without smartphone access.
Representatives from partner organizations such as the Marine and Coastal Conservation Society of Nigeria (MCCSN), the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), and the Young Fishers Global Network Initiative underscored the need for continuous community sensitization to sustain the initiative’s impact.
Officials from the GMES & Africa programme reaffirmed that the Nigerian USSD system has become a flagship model for grassroots digital integration in marine management across the continent.
The service currently complements Nigeria’s Water and Natural Resources (WNR) and Coastal Marine Areas (CMA) information systems under GMES.
By combining EO-powered data services with inclusive community training, the initiative aligns with the African Union’s vision for sustainable blue economy development. It also reflects NIOMR’s leadership in transforming science-driven insights into practical community solutions.
At the closing session, participants commended NIOMR and its partners for their proactive approach in addressing marine safety challenges through innovation and collaboration. The event concluded with a renewed commitment from stakeholders to strengthen the ecosystem that supports safety, data access, and resilience at sea.
Photo Caption: Cross-section of some participants at the Strengthening Safety at Sea: USSD Enhancement and Community-Based Training for Marine Artisans. 4th from left is the Executive Director/CEO, NIOMR.
