Dispute Resolution, Ship Finance Top Agenda As Shippers’ Council Hosts Judges’ Seminar

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), will convene judges, legal practitioners and maritime stakeholders for the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges, with maritime dispute resolution and ship finance taking centre stage.

The three-day seminar, organised under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, is scheduled to hold from July 22 to 24, 2026, at the Ball Room of the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Continental Hotel.

The biennial event, which marks 31 years of judicial capacity development in maritime law and admiralty practice, is expected to bring together Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal and State High Courts, maritime lawyers, regulators, academics and policymakers to deliberate on emerging legal issues affecting the maritime sector.

According to the organisers, this year’s seminar will focus on strengthening maritime justice through discussions on ship finance, maritime dispute resolution, cargo claims, demurrage, detention and storage charges, as well as recent developments in admiralty law and global best practices.

Among the key presentations lined up for the event are an overview of the Admiralty Jurisdiction (Procedure) Rules, 2023; ship mortgages and the role of the International Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships; maritime cargo claims in the era of port concession; and aligning Nigeria’s maritime dispute resolution framework with international standards through arbitration, courts and hybrid justice systems.

Participants will also examine legal issues surrounding demurrage, detention and storage charges, with a view to promoting greater certainty in commercial transactions and improving the efficiency of maritime adjudication.

The seminar will be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will serve as Chief Host.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, is expected as the Distinguished Guest of Honour, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, will attend as Special Guest of Honour. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), will participate as Guest of Honour, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, will serve as Host.

The organisers said the seminar has continued to evolve into Nigeria’s foremost judicial capacity-building programme on maritime law since its inception in 1995, providing a platform for knowledge sharing, policy dialogue and the promotion of consistent, commercially responsive adjudication of maritime disputes.

The event is also expected to attract Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, alongside judges from their respective judiciaries, reflecting the seminar’s growing regional influence and international relevance.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council said the initiative underscores its commitment to strengthening legal frameworks that support trade facilitation, investment, and the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy through continuous judicial engagement.