The United States Coast Guard has taken Nigeria off its Port Security Advisory list. They say this is due to improvements in how Nigeria is handling antiterrorism measures at its ports.
This change ends the Condition of Entry (CoE) that was on vessels coming from Nigerian ports to the United States.
The new policy starts on Wednesday. This was announced in a notice from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard.
The CoE was put in place on June 25, 2014. It required vessels that had been to certain Nigerian ports within their last five stops to go through extra security checks before entering U.S. waters.
The U.S. set these rules after finding that Nigeria was not doing enough with its port security, though there were some exceptions.
On Wednesday, the Coast Guard said they made this decision after looking closely at Nigeria’s port security measures.
"Based on recent assessments, the U.S. Coast Guard has determined that Nigeria is maintaining effective antiterrorism measures in its ports," the notice said.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, spoke about this positive change. He said it comes after the Federal Government worked hard to improve maritime security, boost port competitiveness, and Nigeria’s standing in the global maritime industry.
Oyetola said that lifting the restriction shows that Nigeria is making progress in strengthening its maritime security and following the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code at its ports.
He credited this success to ongoing efforts by the ministry and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). They worked with other government agencies, port operators, terminal and facility operators, shipping companies, and more.
According to the minister, these joint efforts aimed to improve Nigeria’s maritime security framework, fill gaps, and show that Nigeria is meeting international maritime security standards.
Oyetola mentioned that over the past two years, the U.S. Coast Guard did four major assessments of Nigeria’s maritime security and port facilities.
These assessments happened from March 11, 13, 2024; April 15, 19, 2024; March 15, 21, 2025; and April 13, 17, 2026.
He said the results showed big improvements in Nigeria’s maritime security and in putting the ISPS Code into action. This led to lifting the Condition of Entry.
He called this a big win for Nigeria’s maritime sector. It shows the effects of strong regulatory oversight, teamwork, and NIMASA’s commitment to improving maritime security.
"The lifting of the Conditions of Entry is a major milestone for Nigeria's maritime sector. It is a strong affirmation of the progress we have made in strengthening maritime security and implementing the ISPS Code across our ports and facilities.
We are committed to sustaining this momentum and ensuring that Nigeria remains a safe, secure, and competitive destination for international shipping," the minister said.
Oyetola added that this development is not just about maritime security. It can also help make Nigerian ports more competitive and improve Nigeria’s place in the global maritime economy.
With the lifting of the CoE, ships will turn around quicker and schedules will be more reliable. This will cut costs related to extra paperwork, inspections, and delays, he said.
Oyetola also pointed out that this change will make Nigerian ports more appealing to international shipping companies. It could lead to more shipping activity and boost trade, investments, jobs, and port earnings.
He explained that the CoE had caused problems for shipping operators over the past ten years. They faced higher security and operating costs, more inspections and paperwork, delays, and rising freight and insurance costs.
He noted that these restrictions also raised concerns about how competitive Nigerian ports were seen in the international shipping community.
"With the lifting of the CoE, vessels going to Nigerian ports and then to the United States will not face the extra U.S. Coast Guard security checks that were part of the restriction," Oyetola said.
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