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NIMASA Goes Tough on Pirates
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To fight oil thieves and pirates on our territorial waters, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is partnering the Nigerian Navy and Nigeria Airforce.
It has acquired some surveillance equipment to monitor the waterways and secure the ports.
In furtherance of the engagement, NIMASA now operates a 24-hour surveillance regime, capturing vessels in the nation’s maritime domain irrespective of weather conditions.
More than 5,000 ships ply the territorial waters yearly. Some vessels, sources said, violate international laws by engaging in illegal activities, including stealing of crude oil and other criminal activities.
Its Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside, said the agency achieves profile analyses, which include the flag, registered owner, operator, beneficial owner and movement of ships over a specified period.
He said: “The system enables us to take very swift decision in real time, on any targeted ship. Currently, all offshore areas of interest have been electronically cordoned off with a guard zone via our surveillance system and we can at once link activities in the oil fields and on crude oil platforms.
“The system has not only greatly increased our capacity to block revenue leaks but has increased our revenue as all vessels coming into Nigeria are now captured and analysed for billing.
“Our administration has been able to integrate surveillance data with billing control information, thereby driving our desire for the agency’s billing system to be fully operational by two-thirds, from 72-hour down to 24 hours while keeping our eyes the target timeline of six hour billing,” Peterside said.
A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMoT), who craved anonymity, said the nation loses 200,000 barrels of crude oil to theft.
“They are collaborating to curb oil theft, piracy and other criminalities, The Nation has learnt. More than 5,000 international ships ply the territorial waters yearly. Some of the vessels violate international laws by engaging in illegal activities.
“The Air Force has acquired three maritime 128-6, F27 and ATR-42-500 jets and other planes to monitor the activities of oil thieves and other criminals.
“The high-tech plane ATR-42-500 jet is being operated by the Air Force. The plane is fitted with sensors, radar and Electro-Optic Surveillance and Tracking (EOST) equipment, which houses three cameras to monitor ships in Nigerian waters.
“The 20-seat plane can fly as low as 200 feet (60 metres) above the sea and passes on information about maritime traffic to the navy, who can intervene with fast-attack craft if necessary.
“The collaboration is aimed at fighting all manner of maritime crimes in the country. With this aircraft, we can spot any vessel hundreds of kilometres (miles) away,” said Group Captain Enobong Eneh Effiom.
“The aircraft is inscribed with the words: ‘Vigilance over the ocean’. The cameras installed in the planes function well at night based on their high powered lights.
“For any sustainable and meaningful growth in the maritime sector, a robust maritime domain awareness system is inevitable. NIMASA has, therefore, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force to enhance water patrol and aerial surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“The collaboration with the Air force will assist NIMASA in tackling the challenges of large and unrestricted navigational areas, small and non-cooperative objects taking advantage of the dense maritime activity to conceal their actions and it would also protect the ports and ships against attacks,” Effiom said.
He said the agency was striving to ensure that the government and security agencies had access to accurate, comprehensive and up-to-the-minute situation data of the vessel traffic at sea.
The jets, it was learnt, were built in France and equipped in Italy with radars, cameras and other security gadgets.
It was gathered that the Navy has also acquired an equipment called Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Centre (RMAC) to aid the fight.
The equipment, findings showed, was imported from Japan for about N2 billion. It has high-frequency radio and long-range cameras, capable of spotting ships up to 48 kilometres away on the waters.
“From the domain awareness centre, we can see ships from anywhere in the world coming or leaving our maritime space. It also gives us the ability to ascertain the actual threat the vessel poses,” the official said.
The idea for the tripartite collaboration, a source said, started a few years ago
It was learnt that NIMASA sought the help of the Air Force when it discovered that the war against pirates was complicated.
“With the equipment in the planes, NIMASA can monitor even the unusual movement of vessels at sea and keep their records,” the official said.
The jets, it was learnt, draw on the latest technology to provide a reliable, round-the-clock monitoring.
By Philip Odiakose
Public relations is an integral part of any organization’s communication strategy. It involves creating and maintaining a positive image of the brand in the minds of the target audience. PR professionals use various tactics, such as media relations, influencer marketing, and content creation, to achieve their goals.
However, measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of these tactics is crucial to understanding the return on objective (ROO) and making data-driven decisions.
In recent years, many PR professionals have turned to automated dashboards to measure and analyze their PR metrics. While these dashboards offer a level of convenience, they are falling short in PR measurement. In this article, I will explore why automated dashboards are not the silver bullet for PR measurement.
- Lack of Customization
One of the major drawbacks of automated dashboards is the lack of customization. These dashboards are designed to be a one-size-fits-all solution, which means that they may not capture all the metrics that are relevant to a particular PR campaign or engagement.
For instance, if a company is running a campaign to increase its media presence, the automated dashboard may not track all the relevant metrics, making it difficult to gauge the campaign’s success accurately. Automated dashboards may also not take into account the specific goals and objectives of the PR campaign, resulting in incomplete data and inaccurate results.
- Inability to Measure the Quality of Coverage
Automated dashboards are designed to measure the quantity of media coverage, such as the number of mentions, shares, or likes. However, they are unable to measure the quality of the coverage. Quality metrics, such as tone, message penetration, and audience reach, are essential for PR professionals to determine the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Automated dashboards may miss crucial quality metrics that could impact the PR campaign’s success. For example, a high number of media mentions may seem positive, but if the tone of the coverage is negative, it could harm the brand’s image and reputation.
- Lack of Human Analysis
Automated dashboards rely on algorithms to analyze data, which may not always produce accurate results. There are certain nuances and context-specific factors that can only be identified by human analysis. For example, a spike in media coverage for a particular brand could be due to negative news coverage, which an automated dashboard may not be able to differentiate from positive coverage.
Human analysis is necessary to understand the context and nuances of PR measurement accurately. Automated dashboards may also miss out on important trends and patterns that require a human touch to identify and analyze.
- Inability to Integrate with Other Data Sources
PR measurement is not just about measuring media coverage. It requires integration with other data sources, such as web analytics, sales data, and customer feedback. Automated dashboards may not be able to integrate with all these sources, making it difficult for PR professionals to get a holistic view of the campaign’s effectiveness.
For instance, if a PR campaign is designed to increase sales, the automated dashboard may not be able to connect the media coverage to the actual sales figures, leading to incomplete data and inaccurate results.
- Lack of Actionable Insights
Automated dashboards provide a lot of data, but they may not provide actionable insights. PR professionals need insights to make data-driven decisions and improve their campaigns. Automated dashboards may not provide insights that are specific to the campaign’s objectives, making it difficult to improve and optimize the campaign.
PR professionals need insights that can help them identify what is working and what is not and make adjustments accordingly. Automated dashboards may not be able to provide such insights, resulting in incomplete data and inaccurate results.
In conclusion, automated dashboards may offer a level of convenience in PR measurement, but they are falling short of providing accurate, comprehensive, and actionable insights.
PR professionals should opt for Media Intelligence Consultants that provide human analysis and measure both the quantity and quality of media coverage. Such solutions can help PR professionals make data-driven decisions and improve their campaigns’ effectiveness.
Philip Odiakose is the Chief Insights Consultant at P+ Measurement Services, a Media Intelligence Consultancy in Lagos state, Nigeria.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A free online digital marketing masterclass will take place on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 7 pm Nigerian time, with a certificate issued at the end of the training.
The course is being put together by a global partner of the world’s leading digital platforms, Aleph, as part of its Digital Ad Certificate, a global free online training and certification program in digital marketing aimed at people without prior experience.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn from the CEO and founder of the company, Mr Gaston Taratuta, who will share the learnings of his path to being selected as the world’s best entrepreneur in 2022.
Interested participants of the free 90-minute training titled How to be an Entrepreneur in the Digital World would be required to register through this link.
The training also includes a cooperative learning methodology focused on teamwork, which generates constant exchange with the other people taking the classes.
More than 7,000 students in 100 countries participated in the proposal, with a satisfaction ratio of 9.2 out of 10, according to surveys conducted with the students. The goal is to certify 50,000 people worldwide.
At the end of the course, students will receive a certificate from Aleph, which also shares the profiles of the graduates with the thousands of clients it has globally. The training lasts three months and includes theory, information on various platforms, cases, assignments, and masterclasses.
“When I started my path, I experienced difficulties accessing digital education, which is why we decided to make the Digital Ad Certificate available to everyone. This masterclass summarises my entrepreneurial journey and aims to inspire more people to get involved in digital marketing, one of the fastest-growing industries in the world that offers enormous development opportunities for individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and even economies in the region,” Mr Taratuta said.
With only $5,000, Mr Taratuta founded IMS, the first company in Aleph’s portfolio, in 2005. The company quickly became a partner in the region of digital firms from Silicon Valley, which were starting to show their potential and appeal as platforms for brands.
In 2010, five years after its creation, IMS already had offices in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia and was consolidating its position alongside major digital platforms and collaborating with companies seeking new levels of attraction.
In 2017, with the acquisition of Httpool, the company embarked on a journey beyond the limits of the Americas, which was consolidated with the creation of Aleph Group Inc, a global company that in 2021 achieved unicorn status with a market valuation of over one billion dollars and a presence in more than 115 markets.
In 2022, he was selected as the “EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2022,” a global competition for entrepreneurs that includes businessmen from more than 60 countries.
“Our goal as a company is to universalize access to digital advertising to unlock economic development worldwide. To achieve this, we need many more people with technical knowledge in digital marketing, and that is why Digital Ad Certificate is a great opportunity,” added Mr Taratuta.
By: Philip Odiakose
Public relations (PR) is a crucial component of any organization’s communication strategy. It involves the management of communication between an organization and its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the media.
PR plays a significant role in shaping an organization’s reputation and can have a direct impact on its success. This is why it is essential for CEOs to understand the value of PR and to incorporate it into their media performance audit.
A media performance audit is a process that assesses an organization’s media coverage and evaluates its impact on the organization’s reputation, brand image, and business performance. The audit involves analyzing media coverage, identifying key messages, measuring the reach and impact of media coverage, and developing recommendations for improving media performance.
The value of PR in a media performance audit lies in its ability to shape the narrative of an organization’s media coverage. By leveraging PR strategies, CEOs can ensure that their organization’s key messages are being communicated effectively to the media and other stakeholders. This can help to enhance the organization’s reputation and brand image, ultimately leading to improved business performance.
One way that PR can be leveraged in a media performance audit is through the development of a media relations strategy. This involves identifying key media outlets and journalists, developing relationships with them, and pitching stories that align with the organization’s key messages. By doing so, CEOs can ensure that their organization is receiving positive coverage in the media, which can help to enhance its reputation and brand image.
Another way that PR can be leveraged in a media performance audit is through the development of a crisis communications plan. A crisis can have a significant impact on an organization’s reputation and business performance. By having a plan in place for how to respond to a crisis, CEOs can minimize the negative impact on their organization’s reputation and brand image. This can include strategies such as issuing statements, conducting media interviews, and engaging with stakeholders to address concerns.
In addition to these strategies, CEOs can also leverage media monitoring and intelligence consultants to track them and their organization’s media coverage and reputation by monitoring CEOs media coverage, which can identify trends, opportunities, and potential threats to their organization’s reputation. Media Intelligence consultants can provide insights into how stakeholders perceive the organization and can help to identify areas where improvements can be made.
In conclusion, the value of PR in a CEO media performance audit cannot be overstated. By leveraging PR strategies and tools, CEOs can ensure that their organization’s key messages are being effectively communicated to the media and other stakeholders. This can help to enhance the organization’s reputation and brand image, ultimately leading to improved business performance.
CEOs should work closely with their PR teams to develop a comprehensive media relations strategy, crisis communications plan, and monitoring and listening program that can help to optimize their organization’s media performance.
Philip Odiakose is the Chief Insights Consultant at P+ Measurement Services, a Media Intelligence Consultancy in Lagos state, Nigeria.
