The Federal government is seeking to unlock the full potential of the maritime industry through the speedy resolution of disputes arising in the shipping sector in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) on Wednesday in Abuja, the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume reaffirmed that “we are committed to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s maritime domain — not only as a trade corridor, but as a driver of employment, investment, and economic diversification.
“A credible, efficient, and expert maritime justice system is not peripheral to that ambition. It is foundational to it. No investor will commit capital to a maritime venture in Nigeria if they cannot trust that contractual disputes will be resolved fairly and swiftly.
“No shipping line will regard Nigeria as a reliable port of call if they fear that legal processes will be slow, unpredictable, or technically uninformed”.
He charged the judges to implement resolutions recommended from the meeting as a means of promoting fairness and timelines in dispute settlement in the shipping industry.
In his address, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola urged the judiciary to prepare for a new generation of maritime disputes arising from autonomous ships, digital shipping and the global transition to cleaner maritime transport.
Oyetola explained that the rapid evolution of maritime technology was creating unprecedented legal questions around liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations and the allocation of responsibility when autonomous vessels or their systems fail.
“The prospect of vessels operating with limited or no human crews raises fundamental questions concerning liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations, and the allocation of legal responsibility when technology fails”.
He said the growing international focus on maritime decarbonisation and environmental responsibility would also generate increasingly complex disputes over environmental liability, pollution damage, regulatory enforcement and compliance with evolving international standards, urging judges to approach such cases with “sound legal reasoning, scientific understanding, and awareness of emerging international jurisprudence.
“Every judgment delivered in a maritime matter sends a powerful message — not only to the litigants before the court, but also to international investors, shipowners, financiers, insurers, cargo interests, and seafarers across the world,”.
The Minister noted that. “a predictable, well-reasoned, and internationally informed judiciary is itself an instrument of economic competitiveness. It lowers transaction costs, enhances commercial confidence, encourages parties to choose Nigerian courts and Nigerian arbitration centres for the resolution of maritime disputes, and reinforces Nigeria’s reputation as a credible destination for maritime investment.”
Oyetola reiterated that the Federal Government would support the expansion of specialised maritime divisions within the Federal High Court, align domestic legislation with contemporary international maritime conventions and promote robust alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms, particularly maritime arbitration.
Also speaking, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who declared the seminar open, said the maritime sector serves as a vital channel for the movement of goods and services, facilitates international trade, supports economic growth and contributes significantly to employment and national revenue.
The Chief Justice further emphasised the importance of effective and prompt dispensation of admiralty justice, noting that maritime disputes often involve complex, time-sensitive and cross-border transactions.
She stressed that delays in resolving such disputes could disrupt commercial operations, increase costs, undermine investor confidence and affect the smooth functioning of the maritime industry. She therefore underscored the need for a responsive, efficient and specialised system of admiralty justice capable of resolving maritime disputes in a timely and effective manner.
Justice Kekere-Ekun also highlighted the importance of collaboration across jurisdictions, particularly given the inherently international nature of maritime commerce.
She noted that ships, cargoes, commercial transactions and maritime disputes frequently involve multiple countries and legal systems, making cooperation among courts, judicial officers, regulators, legal practitioners and other stakeholders essential.
The CJN further underscored the importance of the seminar as a platform for judicial and professional engagement, knowledge-sharing and the strengthening of institutional capacity in the field of maritime law. .
The event was attended by the Chief Justices of The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone; Justices of the Supreme and Appeal Courts; Federal and State High Court Judges; as well as legal scholars, arbitrators and maritime law practitioners.