The immediate past Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Chukwuemeka Okafor (retd) has won the 2023 British Alexander Dalrymple Award.
As a result, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla has commended him for his achievement and for bringing glory to the force.
“Thank you for your great contribution to building hydrography capacity both locally and globally and your robust service to the Nigerian Navy.”
Rear Admiral Okafor (retd) was honoured on Tuesday, 16th April 2024, as he received the prestigious Alexander Dalrymple Award for 2023 in London, England.
The Alexander Dalrymple Award was initiated by the United Kingdom’s Government in 2006 in honour of the UK’s First Hydrographer, appointed by the Royal Navy in 1795.
Since then, the award has been presented annually as part of the UK Hydrographic Office’s (UKHO’s) World Hydrography Day celebration, by the UK’s Ministry of Defence to recipients selected by a diligent Committee.
The recipient is usually selected from many nominees from different nations. These nominees must have contributed significantly to improving the standards of hydrography, cartography and navigational safety.
It was learnt that the UKHO Committee selected Rear Admiral Okafor (retd) of the Nigerian Navy as the Recipient of the 2023 Alexander Dalrymple Award.
The senior officer was recognized for his outstanding contributions and tireless efforts in developing Nigeria’s national hydrographic capacity culminated in making Nigeria the first country in West Africa to produce an indigenous International navigational chart in both paper and electronic format, as well as the development of a national hydrographic survey fleet with full charting capability.
