The United States has lifted a 12-year Condition of Entry (CoE) imposed on vessels arriving from Nigeria, a decision the Federal Government says will strengthen the country’s position in international maritime trade.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the development on Tuesday, describing it as a major milestone for Nigeria’s shipping industry.
The restriction was introduced in June 2014, requiring vessels arriving in the United States from designated Nigerian ports to undergo additional security checks before being allowed to proceed.
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Its removal follows four comprehensive assessments by the US Coast Guard of Nigeria’s maritime security system and port facilities conducted between March 2024 and April 2026.
According to Oyetola, the assessments recorded significant improvements in Nigeria’s maritime security performance and compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the international framework governing security at ports and aboard ships.
The lifting of the restriction is expected to reduce additional security-related delays and costs for vessels trading between Nigeria and the United States.
The Federal Government also expects the decision to improve port competitiveness, vessel turnaround times and shipping schedule reliability, potentially making Nigerian ports more attractive to international operators.
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For Nigeria’s maritime sector, the development is particularly significant because additional security requirements can increase operational costs and create delays that affect shipping schedules and the competitiveness of ports.
The decision also provides an international assessment of improvements made to Nigeria’s port-security framework over the past two years.
Oyetola said the development would strengthen Nigeria’s standing in global shipping and support efforts to position the country as a more competitive maritime hub.
The lifting of the CoE, however, also places greater responsibility on Nigerian maritime authorities to sustain the security standards that prompted the US Coast Guard to remove the restriction.
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Maintaining compliance with the ISPS Code will be critical to ensuring that the progress is sustained and that Nigerian ports do not face renewed international security restrictions.
The development represents a significant improvement in Nigeria-US maritime relations and could have wider implications for trade, shipping costs and the efficiency of Nigerian ports.
