Nigeria’s Port Security Leaps Forward: US Coast Guard Commends Progress
…We’ll Maintain Momentum – NIMASA DG
L-R: The Director-General of Nigeria’s Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, presented a token gift to the team leader from the United States Coast Guard, USCG, Mr. Joe Price Larson, during their visit to NIM ASA’s headquarters in Lagos.
The United States Coast Guard has praised Nigeria and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for making significant strides in implementing the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code, according to statements from the Coast Guard.
Joe Prince Larson of the U.S. Coast Guard disclosed this information. He headed a group from the International Port Security Programme during their inspection visit at various terminals and ports in Nigeria. The purpose was to evaluate how thoroughly the ISPS Code has been implemented within these port establishments.
Previously, the team carried out evaluation trips to the Dangote Port and Lekki Free Trade Zones located in Lekki, within Lagos State, along with privately managed port facilities run by Matrix and Julius Berger in Warri, which is part of Delta State.
L-R: The Executive Director of Operations at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Engineer Fatai Taiye Adeyemi; the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) ISPS Team Leader, Joe Price Larson; the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola; the USCG representative for Europe/Africa liaison with Nigeria, Eric Hatfield; and the USCG ISPS Reporting Officer, Hyo Jun Cho, were present during a visit by members of the United States Coast Guard to the NIMASA offices in Lagos.
When presenting an interim evaluation report to NIMASA management, Larson highlighted that Nigeria’s adherence to the ISPS Code is among the highest worldwide.
He mentioned that his group would present their discoveries to the leaders of the US Coast Guard as planned and showed faith in NIM ASA’s ability to uphold the stringent standards they have achieved so far.
Based on what Mr. Larson stated, ”
We were delighted to visit Matrix and Julius Berger in Warri, Delta State prior to heading over to the Lekki Deep Seaport and Dangote Port in Lagos, where we found everything to be highly satisfactory. Our observations indicated a strong grasp and thorough execution of the ISPS Code within Nigeria, with adherence levels matching those seen among leading maritime countries worldwide. As such, we will relay these insights to the U.S. Coast Guard headquarters as planned.”
From his perspective, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, discussed the agency’s dedication to maintaining enhanced adherence rates at the country’s ports. He highlighted how these improvements influence international perceptions of Nigeria. Additionally, he stated that the agency will keep supporting initiatives led by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, aimed at elevating standards within the Nigerian maritime sector.
As he stated, “I am delighted to convey the joy I feel about the favorable response we got from the USCG delegation because this acts as recognition of the Federal Government’s dedication to advancing the sector. It also underscores the efforts made by the Agency, overseen by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, to maintain international standards in port security.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has continually collaborated with NIMASA to carry out immediate evaluations assessing the adherence of Nigerian ports to the ISPS Code. This initiative, launched last year under a three-year strategy, aims to offer practical recommendations and evidence-driven choices to remove the Conditions of Entry (CoE) imposed on ships leaving Nigeria bound for the USA.
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