The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has transformed Nigeria’s maritime sector through far-reaching reforms, urging stakeholders to sustain the momentum by strengthening institutions and promoting legal certainty.
Oyetola made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges, organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said the Tinubu administration had laid a solid institutional, regulatory and economic foundation to unlock the country’s marine and blue economy, drive sustainable development, diversify the economy and attract greater private sector investment.
The minister commended the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for sustaining the annual seminar, describing it as one of Nigeria’s foremost platforms for advancing maritime jurisprudence, enhancing judicial capacity and promoting excellence in maritime justice.
“President Tinubu’s administration has fundamentally changed the trajectory of the maritime sector through deliberate reforms that are already delivering measurable economic and institutional results,” Oyetola said.
“Our responsibility now is to sustain these reforms by strengthening institutions, promoting legal certainty and expanding opportunities across the blue economy. A predictable judicial system remains indispensable to protecting investments and supporting Nigeria’s aspiration to become Africa’s leading maritime nation.”
He noted that the seminar was essential in equipping judicial officers with the knowledge required to address emerging issues in international maritime law and global shipping practices.
According to him, rapid technological advancements such as autonomous vessels, digital shipping, artificial intelligence-driven maritime operations and evolving environmental regulations are creating new legal challenges that require specialised judicial expertise.
“The courts will increasingly adjudicate disputes involving decarbonisation, environmental compliance, blockchain-enabled cargo documentation, electronic bills of lading and other evolving international maritime legal frameworks,” he said.
“The emergence of autonomous vessels demands a judiciary equipped to resolve complex legal questions involving liability, insurance, navigation and technological accountability. Judicial officers must remain abreast of evolving international maritime law to ensure justice keeps pace with technological innovation.”
Oyetola stressed that the prompt resolution of maritime disputes through litigation and arbitration remained critical to sustaining commercial confidence and attracting investment into the sector.
He added that every maritime judgment sends a strong signal to investors, shipowners, financiers, insurers and commercial operators about the credibility and predictability of Nigeria’s judicial system.
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The minister pledged continued government support for specialised maritime divisions within the Federal High Court, alignment of domestic maritime laws with international conventions and the strengthening of maritime arbitration.
He also promised closer collaboration between the ministry, its agencies and the judiciary to provide technical support for resolving increasingly complex maritime disputes.
Highlighting achievements recorded since the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, Oyetola said the government had developed Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, maintained zero piracy in Nigerian waters for four consecutive years and secured a £746 million financing agreement to modernise the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
He added that the approval of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, Nigeria’s return to Category C of the International Maritime Organisation Council after 15 years and increased fish production reflected the impact of the administration’s reforms.
According to him, agencies under the ministry generated more than N1.8 trillion in revenue in 2025, underscoring the growing contribution of the marine and blue economy to the nation’s economy.
“These milestones demonstrate that the marine and blue economy has become a major contributor to national economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Oyetola said.
“Infrastructure development and policy reforms must be complemented by a judiciary that delivers timely, fair and commercially predictable decisions. Investor confidence depends not only on sound policies but also on the integrity, consistency and professionalism of our judicial system.”
Also speaking, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said maritime disputes are often complex, time-sensitive and cross-border, making efficient admiralty justice essential to commercial certainty.
She warned that delays in resolving maritime disputes increase business costs, disrupt international trade and weaken investor confidence, stressing the need for a responsive and specialised maritime judicial system.
Kekere-Ekun also emphasised the importance of judicial cooperation across jurisdictions, noting that the global nature of maritime commerce requires continuous collaboration among courts, regulators, legal practitioners and other stakeholders.
She described the seminar as an important platform for judicial engagement, knowledge sharing and capacity building aimed at strengthening maritime jurisprudence and improving the administration of admiralty justice.
