The United States Coast Guard has lifted the 12-year Condition of Entry imposed on vessels arriving in the United States from Nigeria, ending additional security requirements that had applied to ships calling at designated Nigerian ports.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the development on Tuesday in a statement issued by Osagie Edward, Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Oyetola described the decision as a major milestone for Nigeria’s maritime sector, saying it affirmed the Federal Government’s progress in strengthening port security and complying with international maritime security standards.
The Condition of Entry, which took effect on 25 June 2014, subjected vessels bound for the United States that had called at designated Nigerian ports within their previous five port calls to additional security measures and enhanced scrutiny before entering US waters.
“The Condition of Entry, which took effect on June 25, 2014, required vessels destined for the United States that had called at designated Nigerian ports within their previous five port calls to undergo additional security measures and enhanced scrutiny before gaining access to US waters,” the statement read.
The US Coast Guard’s decision follows a series of assessments of Nigeria’s maritime security architecture and port facilities, with the latest assessment conducted in April 2026.
Oyetola said the US Coast Guard carried out four comprehensive assessments of Nigeria’s national maritime security framework and port facilities over the past two years.
“Over the past two years, the United States Coast Guard conducted four comprehensive assessments of Nigeria’s national maritime security framework and port facilities,” Oyetola stated.
“The assessments were carried out from March 11–13, 2024; April 15–19, 2024; March 15–21, 2025; and April 13–17, 2026. The results of the assessments demonstrated significant progress in Nigeria’s maritime security performance and implementation of the ISPS Code, ultimately leading to the lifting of the Condition of Entry.”
The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is an international security framework developed under the International Maritime Organization to establish measures for detecting and preventing security threats to ships and port facilities.
Nigeria’s compliance with the code has been a key focus of collaboration between NIMASA and the US Coast Guard in recent years.
In March 2025, NIMASA said US Coast Guard assessments had yielded positive feedback on Nigeria’s port security and were part of a three-year process aimed at generating actionable information to support lifting the Condition of Entry.
The latest development comes months after a US Coast Guard team conducted another security assessment of Nigerian port facilities in Lagos in March 2026. The exercise covered selected facilities, including the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, and Tin Can Island Port, as part of efforts to determine Nigeria’s compliance with the ISPS Code.
Oyetola: Milestone for maritime sector
Oyetola attributed the lifting of the restriction to sustained efforts by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, NIMASA and other stakeholders in the maritime industry.
These include port and terminal operators, facility operators, shipping companies and other government agencies.
The minister said the coordinated efforts were focused on closing identified security gaps and ensuring sustained compliance with internationally accepted maritime security standards.
“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,” the Minister said.
“We are committed to sustaining this momentum and ensuring that Nigeria remains a safe, secure, and competitive destination for international shipping,” he added.
He commended NIMASA Director-General Dayo Mobereola and his team for their contribution to the achievement.
Oyetola said the development demonstrated the impact of effective regulation, collaboration among maritime stakeholders and sustained investment in port security.
Expected impact on Nigerian ports
The lifting of the restriction is expected to remove additional security procedures specifically imposed on vessels that had called at designated Nigerian ports before proceeding to the United States.
For shipping operators, this could translate into fewer additional inspections, documentation requirements and security procedures associated with the former Condition of Entry.
The development could also improve vessel turnaround times and schedule reliability while reducing some operational costs associated with additional security measures and delays.
The government said the decision could make Nigerian ports more attractive to international shipping lines, potentially increasing shipping activity, trade, and investment, while creating employment opportunities and higher port revenues.
For more than a decade, the additional US requirements had been a concern for Nigeria’s maritime industry because of their implications for the competitiveness and international perception of Nigerian ports.
The US Coast Guard had maintained the restriction due to concerns about the effectiveness of maritime security measures at Nigerian port facilities.
Under US law, the Coast Guard can prescribe conditions of entry for vessels arriving from foreign ports that do not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures.
The lifting of the Nigerian restriction, therefore, represents an important acknowledgment by the US authorities of improvements in Nigeria’s port security arrangements.
Oyetola said the achievement went beyond the immediate security implications, noting that stronger maritime security would also support the competitiveness and efficiency of Nigerian ports and improve the country’s standing in the global maritime economy.
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