Nigeria's maritime regulator has conducted a targeted enforcement operation to ensure compliance with shipping regulations in the country's waters. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency carried out Operation Sea Guardian, which resulted in the arrest and detention of several vessels identified through intelligence and surveillance profiling, including MT HOLMES, MT FUJAIRAH ENERGY, JS GRATITUDE and MT BORA in the Lagos maritime domain. Some vessels that corrected their violations have since been released.
The operation focused on verifying cabotage obligations, assessing surcharge and levy compliance, and ensuring adherence to applicable maritime regulations. It deployed Deep Blue assets for tracking, boarding and inspecting vessels identified through intelligence reports, working with the Nigerian Navy, the Maritime Guard Command and intelligence personnel. Vessels assessed as having a high likelihood of defaulting on cabotage obligations were prioritized and incorporated into a Target Bank established during an earlier enforcement operation, which serves as the reference for planning enforcement activities and focusing resources on high-risk targets.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said such operations will become more frequent and that operators in breach of the rules will face strict penalties. He stated: "we had earlier served notice of enhanced enforcement of indigenous participation in our coastal and inland trade and this is exactly what we are doing. It is therefore in the interest of operators to ensure total compliance because defaulters will be visited with stiff sanctions in line with the law." NIMASA issued a marine notice on August 26, 2026 warning that any vessel, company, operator, charterer or stakeholder found breaching the Cabotage Act would face enforcement action.
For shipping operators and businesses relying on maritime transport, the intensified enforcement means stricter compliance requirements and potential penalties for violations of cabotage regulations in Nigerian waters.