The safety of Nigerian ports is facing a growing threat as many facilities continue to deploy unlicensed and invalidated surveillance systems and security technologies that fail to meet International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code standards, The Guardian learnt.
Industry stakeholders warned that the use of such systems raised serious concerns about operational reliability, regulatory compliance and maritime safety.
According to the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Nigerian maritime agencies have not fully enforced the ISPS Code, leaving critical security gaps across the ports.
Speaking at the association’s 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM), the MASPAN President, Emmanuel Maiguwa, disclosed that of the three pillars of the ISPS, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) only implemented two, leaving out the third and most critical pillar unattended to.
Maiguwa said NIMASA has licensed the Recognised Security Organisations (RSOs) and regulates security guards in ISPS-compliant facilities, but has yet to activate the vendor licensing framework, leaving major technology-based vulnerabilities across port facilities.
Maiguwa explained that under the framework, vendors supplying closed-circuit television (CCTV), surveillance equipment, access-control systems and any technology used to close identified security gaps must be licensed and validated to ensure compliance with approved security plans.
Maiguwa warned that many ports continue to deploy surveillance systems and install security technologies that are not validated for ISPS-compliance.
“We don’t know if the CCTVs currently being purchased and deployed meet the required ISPS standards or match the threat profiles identified in facility assessment reports,” he stated.
He insisted that only a fully-enforced vendor licensing regime will guarantee port-facility integrity, support credible investigation and improve Nigeria’s global maritime security ranking.
Maiguwa cited a major drug-smuggling case from Brazil that was uncovered during an investigation made possible just because the port facility involved used an ISPS-approved vendor.
He explained that the facility’s security plan had identified blind spots and recommended a licensed ISPS vendor, whose mobile camera footage exposed how the drugs were smuggled into the country.
The General Secretary, MASPAN’s Andrew Okonta, highlighted improved cooperation with the Nigerian Navy after the association mediated disputes caused by new regulations affecting vessels operating outside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
According to him, the Navy previously clamped down and sanctioned entire companies for infractions committed by individual vessels. He said MASPAN engaged the authorities in Abuja, leading to a more targeted enforcement approach where only the offending vessel is sanctioned
He noted that members now enjoy clearer compliance guidelines and reduced operational friction. Okonta confirmed MASPAN’s ongoing engagements with NIMASA, particularly on improving ISPS enforcement and capacity development.
