The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has issued a stern warning to all operators on Nigerian waters, directing them to comply fully with extant maritime laws or face stringent sanctions.
To this end, the Agency has launched a special enforcement initiative tagged “Operation Zero Tolerance for Non-Compliance” across the Nigerian maritime domain. The directive, conveyed through a Marine Notice, is in line with NIMASA’s statutory mandate under the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, and other relevant regulations.
Under the operation, ship and vessel owners, operators, managers, shipping companies and agents, charterers, masters and officers of merchant ships, international and national oil companies, offshore installation and platform operators, Free Trade Zone (FTZ) vessel operators, and other maritime stakeholders operating or intending to operate within Nigerian waters are required to ensure full compliance with all statutory requirements.
These requirements include proper vessel registration, possession of valid statutory certificates, updated ownership documentation, and strict adherence to Cabotage provisions relating to vessel ownership, registration, manning, and construction. The Agency also underscored the need for the timely payment and remittance of all statutory levies and fees as prescribed by law.
As part of the enforcement process, NIMASA will carry out random and targeted vessel inspections, verify documentation against its databases, and conduct physical and documentary compliance assessments at ports, terminals, and offshore locations. Operators will be required to present evidence of payment of all applicable levies and fees upon request.
To allow stakeholders the opportunity to regularise their operations, NIMASA has granted a thirty-day grace period, effective from January 5, 2026, for self-audit and voluntary compliance.
The Agency warned that failure to comply at the expiration of the grace period will attract enforcement measures, including vessel detention, financial penalties, withdrawal of waivers or operational licences, and denial of port clearance until full compliance is achieved.
Speaking on the initiative, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to promoting indigenous shipping development, enhancing maritime safety and security, protecting the marine environment, and ensuring strict adherence to Nigeria’s maritime laws.
He urged stakeholders to support the effort, noting that collective compliance would consolidate previous regulatory gains, enhance safety, secure the maritime environment, and ensure the sustainable use of Nigeria’s marine resources.
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