Operation Sea Guardian: NIMASA Cracks Down On Cabotage Violators In Lagos Waters

By Stella Okocha 

No hiding place for defaulting vessel operators as Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, deploys intelligence, Deep Blue assets to enforce indigenous shipping law.

Four vessels, MT Holmes, MT Fujairah Energy, JS Gratitude and MT Bora, were arrested and detained within Lagos maritime domain during a targeted enforcement operation code-named Operation Sea Guardian.

NIMASA said the operation was intelligence-driven, focusing on vessels of interest profiled for likely breach of Cabotage Act and other maritime regulations.

The crackdown, carried out with Nigerian Navy, Maritime Guard Command and C4i intelligence personnel, involved tracking, boarding, inspection and verification of operational status to confirm cabotage obligations, surcharge and levy compliance.

According to the Agency, high-risk vessels identified through surveillance were entered into an expanded Target Bank created during the first enforcement sweep. The bank now serves as consolidated repository for planning future enforcement, ensuring resources target worst violators.

While some detained vessels have been released after regularising infractions, NIMASA warns more operations are coming.

Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said enforcement of indigenous participation in coastal and inland trade will be sustained.

“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 interest of operators to ensure total compliance because defaulters will be visited with stiff sanctions,” Mobereola said.

The enforcement follows a marine notice issued August 26, 2026, where NIMASA, citing its mandate to promote indigenous capacity, warned that any vessel, company, operator or charterer found breaching Cabotage requirements “shall be subject to appropriate enforcement action in accordance with law, without further recourse to violators.”