The Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) has urged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to fully-enforce all three pillars of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, warning that failure to do so, leaves critical security gaps across Nigerian ports.
MASPAN President, Emmanuel Maiguwa, who spoke after the association’s 2025 AGM, said that while NIMASA licenses Recognised Security Organisations (RSOs) and regulates security guards in ISPS-compliant facilities, it has never implemented the third pillar—the vendor licensing framework. Under this framework, vendors supplying CCTV, surveillance gadgets, access-control systems, or any technology used to close identified security gaps must be licensed to ensure compliance with approved security plans.
Unlicensed Security Technology Risking Port Safety
Maiguwa revealed a case where drugs smuggled from Brazil were uncovered during an investigation made possible only because the facility used an ISPS-approved vendor.
“The facility plan identified blind spots and recommended a licensed ISPS vendor. That vendor’s mobile camera footage was what revealed how the drugs entered,” he said.
He warned that many ports continue to install cameras and technologies that are not validated for ISPS-compliance.
“We don’t know if the CCTVs being deployed today meet the required standard. We don’t know if they match the threats identified in assessment reports,” he stressed.
MASPAN said only a fully-enforced vendor licensing regime will guarantee port-facility integrity, improve investigations, and strengthen Nigeria’s global maritime security ranking.
MASPAN officials also highlighted improved cooperation with the Navy after the association mediated disputes triggered by new regulations for vessels operating outside Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
According to MASPAN’s General Secretary, Andrew Okonta, the Navy was previously clamping down on entire companies for infractions committed by individual vessels. “MASPAN intervened, engaged the authorities in Abuja, and the Navy adjusted its approach. Now only the offending vessel is sanctioned, not the entire company,” he said. Members, he added, now enjoy better clarity and compliance procedures.
Also reacting to claims that relative calm in the Gulf of Guinea is due to foreign frigates, Maiguwa said such assertions are misleading. He explained that foreign vessels such as Danish frigates protecting Maersk’s global supply chain call at Nigerian ports primarily for logistics and replenishment, not for policing Nigerian waters. “It is not their presence providing maritime security for us. Our Navy and intelligence community are doing the work,” he maintained.
MASPAN further confirmed ongoing engagements with NIMASA, particularly on ISPS enforcement and capacity development.
