NAKURA: Nurturing a novelty in naval navigation
Navigation is one field of study that pays attention to the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle, from one place to another.
Scientists say this field of technology includes four general categories: land navigation, marine or naval navigation, aeronautic navigation, and space navigation.
It is in the pursuit for excellence and efficiency in such navigation that the Nigerian Navy considers it fit to adopt the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, otherwise called UAVs, to spur proficiency.
And to indigenize the operation, as well as strengthen or encourage the capacity of local entrepreneurs, particularly those that are determined to set up businesses at home, by taking on financial risks, the leadership of the Nigerian Navy is destined for a special stride.
Through a collaborative arrangement with the company of Alhaji Ahmed Nakura, an entrepreneur with the mindset of nurturing novelty in maritime navigation, the Nigerian Navy went into a contractual agreement to bring in the CTS Ovation Unmanned Aerial Vehicle from South Africa, for operations in Nigeria.
A contract for the supply of 12 units of these UAVs to the navy was awarded to Nakura International Ltd, and from the information made available, nine of them have since arrived in the country, while the remaining are being awaited. Grapevine information has it that the Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogala, is bent on wiping out all manner of sea crimes, using technology to reduce human casualties. And in the discharge of that responsibility, it is ready to engage more indigenous entrepreneurs of merit.
Amongst those that are eager for the commissioning of the project is a close friend of Alhaji Ahmed Nakura and a popular Nigerian enthusiastic entrepreneur, Dr. Usman Yahaya Kansila, the proprietor and promoter of UYK Holdings, a conglomerate that performs multiple businesses in construction and information technology. Dr. Usman Yahaya is particularly pleased with the Nigerian Navy’s choice of Alhaji Ahmed Nakura as the person chosen to supply the UAVs for a number of reasons, principal of which is the empowerment of indigenous entrepreneurs, and the promotion of the local content policy.
He observed that Nigeria is facing a number of challenges in many areas, with security being uppermost. Therefore he said, anything that would encourage local entrepreneurs, would help in reducing the potency of such challenges. He said, awarding such contract to an indigenous company like the Nakura International Ltd. is in line with the ambition of the Local content policy, which was crafted as a strategy to increase the participation of indigenous firms in the supply chain of the economy, and also improve on the backward linkage development.
It may interest the reader to know that the UAV technology, particularly the CTS Ovation, that was brought by the Nakura International Ltd, uses the drone system that combines robotics with aeronautics for excellence in delivery. Drones are simply small sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are unique and can drive remotely over a controlled and sustained level of flight. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were initially used by the civil aviation world, but because we all share the same airspace, the technology is now embraced by all, including the Navy. They are easily referred to as aircrafts without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board.
They are easily used for such military operations that could be too dull, dirty or dangerous to handle by human beings, especially in Nigeria, where the Navy is fighting the crime of sea piracy, oil theft, pipe vandalizing and other ocean transgressions. The drone technology if properly harnessed, would help not only the Navy, but be employable for aerial photography, precision agriculture, forest fire monitoring, river monitoring, environmental monitoring as well as policing and surveillance of the country.
As Nigerians await the arrival of the remaining three UAVs from Nakura International Ltd, and their eventual commissioning soon, more ovation is going to the current CNS, Vice Admiral Ogala, for his dedication in seeing to the successful execution of President Tinubu’s major component of the eight point agenda, which is security. Apart from encouraging the use of technology like the newly introduced UAVs in the name of CTS Ovation for aerial surveillance, CNS Ogala is pushing the Navy to go on relentless patrols, leading to the arrest of suspects, vessels, seizures and destruction of illegal facilities.
Since establishment, the Nigerian Navy has been playing significant role in ensuring peace and security and protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity, particularly with regards to defending the country’s maritime.
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