By Odita Sunday
The Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA) has urged the National Assembly to urgently pass all pending maritime bills before the expiration of its tenure in May 2027, saying Nigeria must move from the ratification of international maritime instruments to their effective implementation and enforcement.
President of the NMLA, Mr Mike Igbokwe, SAN, FCARB, FBR, made the call on Thursday in a statement to mark the 2026 World Maritime Day, observed under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
Igbokwe said the theme, adopted by the IMO for a two-year cycle covering 2026 and 2027, underscored the urgent need for governments to translate maritime treaties, conventions and policies into practical action capable of producing safer voyages, protected seafarers, cleaner waters, efficient cargo movement and greater confidence in the enforcement of maritime rights.
According to him, the real test of maritime policies and laws is whether they are improving what happens aboard ships, in ports, along coastlines and throughout the maritime supply chain.
He said maritime transportation was currently confronted by challenges relating to safety, security, decarbonisation and technological change, stressing that these challenges required more than agreements on international standards.
“Governments must give effect to their obligations; maritime administrations must have the capacity to enforce them; and industry must invest in the people, vessels and systems needed for compliance,” he said.
Igbokwe noted that the transition to cleaner shipping must also take into account the financing and infrastructure challenges confronting developing maritime nations.
He said IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, had similarly stressed that regulations would only deliver safer, more resilient and cleaner shipping when implemented, adding that seafarers must remain the ultimate beneficiaries of such implementation.
The NMLA president said the 2026 World Maritime Day observance came against the backdrop of attacks on merchant vessels in conflict zones, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, which had resulted in seafarer casualties and disruptions to critical supply chains.
He said the development reinforced the need for international maritime conventions, codes and guidelines to be translated into binding national legislation and backed by effective enforcement and operational practices.
Igbokwe noted that Nigeria’s election to the IMO Council for the 2026–2027 biennium had provided the country with an important opportunity to contribute to global maritime decisions.
He, however, said Nigeria’s international voice would have greater impact if signed or ratified maritime treaties were promptly domesticated and effectively implemented and monitored by relevant institutions.
“Sound regulation depends on legal certainty. When the rules are clear, up to date, fairly and speedily enforced by agencies and by efficient courts and credible arbitration, owners, charterers, cargo interests, financiers, seafarers and insurers and other stakeholders will have more confidence in the system,” he said.
He stressed that maritime disputes and claims were inevitable in the sector, but timely and just resolution of such disputes remained critical to the functioning of a maritime economy because of the industry’s capital-intensive nature.
Turning to Nigeria’s maritime sector, Igbokwe said the country had, over the years, developed a substantial body of maritime laws and policies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority Act, the Cabotage Act 2003, the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019 and the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act.
He also cited ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on issues including the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention (STCW), ship finance and ship registration, as well as collaboration between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy in securing the Gulf of Guinea.
According to him, these measures, reinforced by the Deep Blue Project and sustained collaboration with international partners, have contributed to a measurable decline in piracy and armed robbery at sea within Nigerian waters.
He, however, urged the National Assembly to conclude work on pending maritime legislation before the end of its tenure in May 2027.
Igbokwe said the NMLA had continued to contribute to efforts aimed at bridging the gap between maritime policy and practice through its training and professional development programmes.
He cited the association’s involvement in the organisation of the International Maritime Seminar for Judges, training of judges and justices on maritime law and practice in conjunction with the National Judicial Institute, as well as its one-day maritime seminars and breakfast meetings.
He said ratification and domestication of maritime treaties through legislation were only the starting point, adding that effective implementation must remain the ultimate objective.
Igbokwe called for full and consistent implementation of the Cabotage Act, including a decisive move away from dependence on waivers towards the development of indigenous tonnage, shipbuilding and ownership capacity.
He also advocated stronger enforcement of the SPOMO Act and continued judicial capacity-building to ensure the speedy and successful prosecution of piracy and other maritime crimes.
The NMLA president further called for deeper harmonisation between Nigerian maritime legislation and international conventions, particularly in the areas of ship registration, environmental compliance and seafarers’ welfare.
He also stressed the need for sustained investment in maritime dispute resolution capacity in Nigeria, arguing that Lagos should be positioned to compete credibly with established arbitration and admiralty centres, including London.
He urged closer collaboration among the Nigerian Bar Association, the Judiciary, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy and industry stakeholders to ensure that maritime policies produce predictable and enforceable outcomes for shipowners, shipbuilders, ship operators, charterers, insurers and seafarers.
Igbokwe called on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the National Assembly to accelerate the ratification and domestication of outstanding international maritime treaties and adequately resource enforcement agencies.
He also urged NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria and the courts to ensure effective and efficient implementation and enforcement of maritime laws.
According to him, progress in the sector should be measured by tangible outcomes that maritime businesses and the public can see, particularly in safety, security, efficiency and economic benefits.
“The measure of maritime policy is what it enables people to do safely, efficiently and responsibly in practice and the benefits that it brings to our economy and people,” he said.
Igbokwe reaffirmed NMLA’s commitment to informed maritime law reform, professional education and constructive engagement with stakeholders in the maritime sector.
He also expressed solidarity with seafarers around the world, particularly those operating in conflict-affected waters, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
He said no maritime legal framework could be considered complete until it adequately protected the men and women responsible for keeping global trade moving.
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