The Declining Hegemony of Pirates and Drug Traffickers in Nigerian Waters Versus the Burden of US Conditions of Entry

Abstract

This article examined the decline of piracy and drug trafficking in Nigerian waters vis-à-vis the challenging Conditions of Entry (CoE) by which ocean carriers are screened, prequalified and processed before entry into US ports, and how to pass those examinations. Although Nigeria dominates sea trade in the Gulf of Guinea, it also accounts for more of the insecurity and drug trafficking which compound the CoE handicap. Primary and secondary data sources were used, with qualitative analytical methodology, to interrogate the country’s maritime administration’s anti-piracy enforcement regime and the role played by new legislation. The findings confirm declining incidences of the problem with the conclusion that professionalizing the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s administration and concerted action by regional stakeholders are critical for sustained maritime domain security.