By Favour Ulebor

The United States Coast Guard has lifted the 12-year Condition of Entry imposed on vessels arriving in the United States from Nigeria, the Federal Government has announced.

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the development on Tuesday in a statement posted on his X handle.

The Condition of Entry, imposed in June 2014, required vessels that called at designated Nigerian ports before sailing to the United States to undergo additional security checks.

The US Coast Guard conducted four assessments of Nigeria’s maritime security system and port facilities over the past two years.

The assessments took place from March 11 to 13, 2024; April 15 to 19, 2024; March 15 to 21, 2025; and April 13 to 17, 2026.

According to the Federal Government, the assessments showed major improvements in Nigeria’s maritime security and compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, leading to the removal of the restriction.

Oyetola described the development as a major milestone for Nigeria’s maritime sector and a sign of the progress made in improving security at the country’s ports and facilities.

He said the development followed efforts by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and other stakeholders to improve maritime security and meet international standards.

He said, “Nigeria’s maritime sector has achieved a major milestone: the United States Coast Guard has lifted the 12-year Condition of Entry imposed on vessels arriving in the U.S. from Nigeria.

“This is a strong affirmation of the progress we have made in strengthening maritime security and implementing the ISPS Code across our ports and facilities.

“I commend our agencies and stakeholders for their sustained collaboration. This achievement will enhance port competitiveness, improve vessel turnaround and schedule reliability, reduce costs and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global maritime economy.

“We will sustain this momentum and ensure Nigeria remains a safe, secure and competitive destination for international shipping.”

Meanwhile, NIMASA, in a statement on its social media pages, said the lifting of the restriction would improve port competitiveness and vessel turnaround and make shipping schedules more reliable.

The agency also said the development would reduce additional security-related costs and strengthen Nigeria’s position in global shipping.

Oyetola commended the Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development.