NSC to Host Chief Justices, Supreme Court Judges at 18th International Maritime Seminar in Abuja
Nigerian Shippers Council headquarters, Apapa Lagos
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 run daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
This year’s edition 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 seminar will be held under the chairmanship of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola will serve as Chief Host, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike will serve as Host.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun will attend as Distinguished Guest of Honour, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen as Special Guest of Honour, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, as Guest of Honour.
The biennial seminar provides a 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 presentations, to be delivered by jurists, scholars, maritime law practitioners, and international experts, will cover the Admiralty Jurisdiction (Procedure) Rules, 2023 and its place in maritime adjudication; ship mortgages in Nigeria and the role of the International Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships in using vessels as security for finance and maritime claims; liability, causation, and proof in maritime cargo claims amid port concession arrangements; the alignment of Nigerian maritime dispute resolution with global arbitration and hybrid justice practice; and the legal characterisation and risk allocation of demurrage, detention, and storage charges.
The seminar is expected to host Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, along with Justices and Judges from their respective judiciaries, underscoring its growing regional significance and international stature. Participants will also 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.
