By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has urged Nigeria’s judiciary to prepare for a new wave of complex maritime disputes arising from autonomous vessels, digital shipping and the global transition to cleaner maritime transport.
Speaking at the opening of the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja on Wednesday, Oyetola said rapid technological advances in the maritime sector were creating unprecedented legal challenges that require a more informed and specialised judiciary.
According to him, autonomous ships, electronic bills of lading, blockchain-enabled cargo documentation and digital freight contracts are reshaping global shipping while raising new questions on liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations, contractual obligations and jurisdiction.
“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,” the Minister said.
He also noted that the global push towards maritime decarbonisation and environmental sustainability would generate more disputes relating to pollution liability, environmental compliance and enforcement of evolving international standards.
Oyetola urged judges to approach such matters with sound legal reasoning, scientific understanding and a strong appreciation of emerging international maritime jurisprudence.
The Minister stressed that an efficient and predictable maritime dispute resolution system remains critical to Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading maritime hub.
He said every maritime judgment sends a strong signal to international investors, shipowners, insurers, financiers and cargo operators on the credibility of Nigeria’s legal system.
“A predictable, well-reasoned and internationally informed judiciary is itself an instrument of economic competitiveness. It lowers transaction costs, enhances commercial confidence and encourages parties to choose Nigerian courts and arbitration centres for maritime dispute resolution,” he said.
To strengthen the legal framework, Oyetola disclosed 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 alternative dispute resolution, particularly maritime arbitration.
Highlighting ongoing reforms in the sector, the Minister said the Federal Government had secured a £746 million financing agreement with the United Kingdom to modernise Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
He added that the approved disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) would enable indigenous shipowners to acquire vessels, expand participation in coastal shipping and create about 30,000 jobs.
Oyetola further disclosed that Nigeria has recorded four consecutive years without piracy attacks within its territorial waters under the Deep Blue Project, while maritime agencies generated over ₦1.8 trillion in revenue in 2025. He also noted that domestic fish production had increased from about 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes.
He observed that the continued expansion of offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed resources and coastal tourism would inevitably lead to more disputes involving investors, regulators, host communities and commercial operators.
“The marine and blue economy cannot flourish in a legal vacuum,” he said, calling for courts with the expertise to interpret increasingly sophisticated international maritime legal instruments.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who chaired the event, described the maritime sector as strategic to Nigeria’s economic development and stressed the importance of speedy adjudication of admiralty cases.
He warned that delays in resolving maritime disputes could undermine trade, shipping operations, investment and port efficiency, while urging government agencies to strengthen collaboration instead of operating in silos.
Also speaking, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said the maritime industry remains critical to international trade, economic growth, employment and national revenue.
She emphasised that maritime disputes are often cross-border and time-sensitive, making efficient and specialised admiralty justice essential for sustaining investor confidence and commercial certainty.
The Chief Justice also called for greater collaboration among courts, regulators, legal practitioners and maritime stakeholders, describing the seminar as an important platform for knowledge sharing and institutional capacity building.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to enacting legislation and providing oversight to support the growth of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The seminar attracted Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Federal and State High Court judges, legal scholars, arbitrators and maritime law practitioners.
The three-day seminar will run from July 22 to July 24, 2026, in Abuja.
