Global maritime jurisprudence takes center stage as the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) prepare to host the 18th International Seminar for Judges. This powerhouse collaboration brings together local and international legal minds to tackle emerging maritime law complexities, optimize dispute resolution, and elevate judicial excellence.
A statement by the NSC Head of Public Relations, Rebecca Adamu, confirmed that the three-day summit will run from July 22 to 24, 2026. Organized under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the event holds at the Ballroom of the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Continental Hotel.
Marking over three decades of excellence in maritime law and admiralty practice, the prestigious biennial seminar is set to draw a stellar lineup of Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court Justices. They will be joined by cross-border legal practitioners, regulators, and policymakers to evaluate pressing legal issues shaping the maritime ecosystem.
To fortify the nation’s maritime justice system, discussions will zero in on critical commercial realities. Key thematic areas include dispute resolution mechanisms, ship financing, cargo claims, and contentious demurrage, detention, and storage charges under global best practices.
The agenda features high-impact presentations dissecting the Admiralty Jurisdiction (Procedure) Rules 2023, ship mortgages, and the transformative International Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships. Experts will also tackle maritime cargo claims in the port concession era, alongside strategies to benchmark Nigeria’s arbitration, courts, and hybrid justice frameworks against elite global standards.
Delegates will also debate the legal characterisation of demurrage, detention, and storage charges. This critical dialogue aims to inject ironclad certainty into commercial transactions while supercharging the efficiency and consistency of maritime adjudication across Nigerian courts.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, will chair the landmark 18th edition, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, takes the reins as Chief Host.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, headlines the summit as the Distinguished Guest of Honour, alongside Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, as Special Guest of Honour.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, joins as Guest of Honour, while FCT Minister Nyesom Wike steps in as the official host minister
Organisers noted that since its inception in 1995, the seminar has evolved into Nigeria’s premier judicial capacity-building platform for maritime law. Over the past three decades, it has served as the definitive arena for high-level knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and driving commercially responsive dispute resolution.
Underscoring its powerful pan-African footprint and growing international stature, the summit will draw the Chief Justices of Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, alongside senior jurists from their respective judiciaries
Similarly, this landmark summit reinforces the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s commitment to building robust legal structures that champion trade, safeguard investments, and unlock the potential of the marine and blue economy.
Ultimately, through targeted judicial dialogue and global collaborations, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is actively setting new standards for regional maritime growth.
