Shippers’ Council Fixes 22 July For International Maritime Seminar For Judges
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), will hold the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges from Wednesday, 22nd July to Friday, 24th July 2026, at the Ball Room, Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Continental Hotel (formerly Sheraton Hotel), Abuja.
The seminar will hold from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.
According to a statement on Friday, this 2026 edition of the International Maritime Seminar for Judges marks 31 years of strengthening judicial capacity in maritime law and admiralty practice in Nigeria. Established in 1995, the flagship capacity-building programme has become the premier event on Nigeria’s maritime calendar.
The event will be held under the distinguished chairmanship of His Excellency, Senator George Akume, CON, KSJI, fnim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, will serve as Chief Host, while H.E, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, CON, Honourable Minister, Federal Territory, Abuja, will serve as the Host. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON, will attend as the Distinguished Guest of Honour. The Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, GCON, Ph.D will serve as the Special Guest of Honour. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Honourable Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, will serve as the Guest of Honour at this prestigious event.
The biennial seminar provides a strategic platform for Justices, Judges, legal practitioners, maritime experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to examine emerging trends, contemporary legal issues, and global best practices in international maritime law and admiralty practice. It is also designed to strengthen judicial capacity and promote efficient, consistent, and commercially responsive adjudication of maritime disputes in Nigeria and across the region.
This year’s event will feature presentations by eminent jurists, renowned scholars, leading maritime law practitioners, and international experts on critical issues shaping the global maritime sector. Key topics include:
• An Overview of the Admiralty Jurisdiction (Procedure) Rules, 2023: A Sine Qua Non for Maritime Adjudication.
• The Ship as Security for Finance and Maritime Claims: An Overview of Ship Mortgages in Nigeria and the Role of the International Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships.
• Maritime Cargo Claims in the Age of Port Concession: Liability, Causation and Proof in Emerging Maritime Economies.
• Aligning Nigerian Maritime Dispute Resolution with Global Practice: Arbitration, Courts and the Future of Hybrid Justice.
• Demurrage, Detention and Storage Charges: Legal Characterization, Risk Allocation and Global Best Practices.
The seminar is expected to host Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, alongside Justices and Judges from their respective judiciaries, underscoring the programme’s growing regional significance and international stature.
Participants will include Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Judges of the Federal and State High Courts, legal advisers, in-house counsel, maritime and legal practitioners, academics, regulators, and other stakeholders from across the maritime sector.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains committed to promoting excellence in maritime justice through sustained judicial engagement, knowledge sharing, and the advancement of legal frameworks that support trade facilitation, investment, and the growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.