he U.S. Coast Guard has officially lifted its 12-year security restriction on ships arriving from Nigeria!

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

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Tuesday, saying the restriction, imposed in June 2014, required vessels from designated Nigerian ports to undergo additional security checks before proceeding to the US.

The decision followed four comprehensive US Coast Guard assessments of Nigeria’s maritime security framework and port facilities conducted between March 2024 and April 2026.

The assessments found significant improvements in Nigeria’s maritime security performance and implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

Oyetola described the lifting as a major milestone that would boost port competitiveness, improve vessel turnaround and schedule reliability, reduce costs and strengthen Nigeria’s position in global shipping.