The 2025 Presidential Dinner in honour of the Senior Executive Course 47 participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) was more than a celebration. It was a defining moment for national reorientation and strategic leadership.

Held at the State House, the event brought together Nigeria’s finest thought leaders, including the AANI President, Ambassador Emmanuel Obi Okafor, mni, and the Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), CON, OFR. Their combined insights created a powerful narrative on national security, sustainable development, and ethical leadership.

Ambassador Okafor celebrated the graduands’ decade-long intellectual journey, commending their rigorous work on the theme “Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria.” He emphasized that their contributions add fresh thinking to a globally relevant agenda. Nations are increasingly leveraging marine resources for economic transformation, and Nigeria must not be left behind.

He urged the graduands to uphold the ideals of NIPSS, which include excellence, integrity, patriotism, and service. As they transition into the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), he reaffirmed AANI’s readiness to take up President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive issued earlier that day. The President called on NIPSS and AANI to develop innovative and actionable solutions to Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

Gen. Marwa, addressing the same audience, highlighted a critical dimension of the Blue Economy conversation: the corrosive impact of drug trafficking on Nigeria’s maritime domain. He warned that the illicit drug trade threatens national security, the environment, ports, fishing communities, and the entire value chain of Nigeria’s marine economy.

He noted that the Blue Economy cannot thrive when transnational criminal networks corrupt port systems, damage marine ecosystems, and undermine legitimate commerce. His recent seizures, including over 45 kg of cocaine smuggled through Lagos port, illustrate the scale of the threat.

The evening ended with a renewed commitment by AANI, NIPSS, and strategic government stakeholders to defend Nigeria’s coastal resources, strengthen institutions, and pursue evidence-based national policies.