The Presidential Dinner honoring participants of Senior Executive Course 47/2025, held at the Armed Forces Officers Mess Asokoro, brought together distinguished leaders and thinkers for an evening rich in reflection, insight, and national purpose. At the heart of the event were two powerful messages delivered by the AANI President, Ambassador Emmanuel Obi Okafor, and NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa.

Ambassador Okafor’s address celebrated the academic excellence and strategic contributions of SEC 47 participants. Their research focused on Nigeria’s emerging Blue Economy and its role in sustainable development, covering fisheries, maritime transport, offshore energy, biodiversity, and coastal security. He noted that their recommendations would contribute significantly to national transformation.

He further underscored AANI’s commitment to responding to President Tinubu’s charge. The president called for clear and strategic recommendations for combating insecurity nationwide. According to Okafor, insecurity is already central to AANI’s work plan, and the Institute will now pursue fresh interventions with greater vigor and precision.

Brigadier General Marwa added a sobering but important dimension to the discussions. He described illicit drug trafficking as a direct threat to Nigeria’s Blue Economy aspirations. Ports, sea lanes, tourism corridors, and fishing communities are increasingly under pressure from drug cartels that exploit maritime infrastructure for criminal gain.

He illustrated the gravity of the problem with recent NDLEA operations that intercepted multiple cocaine shipments within a three-week period. These crimes erode port integrity, fuel corruption, destroy marine biodiversity, and undermine sustainable development. For the Blue Economy to flourish, Marwa explained, the fight against narcotics must be treated as a national priority.

Together, their messages call for a united and strategic front driven by research, operational vigilance, and interagency collaboration.