By Omar Bah
Ten African countries including The Gambia remain under heightened US port-security restrictions after the United States Coast Guard cleared Nigeria, highlighting continued concerns over maritime security standards across parts of the continent.
The other restricted countries include Madagascar, Cameroon, Seychelles, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Comoros, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
At the moment, 22 countries remain on the US Coast Guard’s port security advisory list, including ten African countries.
In its August 19, 2026 Port Security Advisory, the US Coast Guard said it had determined that ports in these countries were “not maintaining effective antiterrorism measures.”
Nigeria was removed from the affected-country list after the agency determined that its ports were maintaining effective measures.
The advisory is issued under the US Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, which requires the Coast Guard to assess the effectiveness of antiterrorism measures at foreign commercial ports.
Where standards are considered inadequate, the US can impose additional conditions on vessels arriving from those locations.
The restrictions can create additional security requirements for ships that have called at any of the affected countries during their previous five port calls before arriving in the US.
Vessels that have visited affected countries must implement extra security measures and report compliance before entering US ports.
Vessels that have visited affected countries must implement extra security measures and report compliance before entering US ports.
Such vessels must implement measures equivalent to Security Level 2 while in the affected country.
They must also guard every access point to the vessel, attempt to execute a Declaration of Security, record the security measures taken and report those actions to the relevant US Coast Guard Captain of the Port before arriving in the United States.
The US Coast Guard can also board or examine vessels to verify compliance. Failure to implement the required measures could result in delayed or denied entry into US ports.
For vessels that arrive in US ports after visiting one of the affected countries, the Coast Guard can require armed security guards at vessel access points, although the requirement can normally be waived where ships demonstrate good security compliance and provide documentation showing that the prescribed measures were implemented.
The new advisory replaces Port Security Advisory 3-26, extending heightened scrutiny to shipping linked to the 10 African countries.
Nigeria’s removal therefore creates a clear divide within Africa’s maritime sector: while Nigerian ports have now been judged compliant with US antiterrorism requirements, vessels linked to the ten remaining African countries continue to face additional security procedures before accessing US waters.
For shipping operators, the distinction matters because additional inspections, security personnel, documentation and potential delays can increase the complexity and cost of international voyages.
