Maritime Bills: NMLA Gives National Assembly May 2027 Deadline

– Demands faster treaty domestication, stronger maritime law enforcement

Wale Igbintade

The Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA) has given the National Assembly a May 2027 deadline to clear all pending maritime bills before the expiration of its tenure, warning that further delays could undermine efforts to translate Nigeria’s maritime policies and international commitments into effective laws and enforcement.

The association also urged the federal government to accelerate the domestication of outstanding international maritime treaties and adequately resource enforcement agencies, saying Nigeria’s maritime progress must be measured by practical outcomes in safety, security, seafarers’ welfare, environmental protection and the efficiency of ports and supply chains.

The NMLA made the call in a statement by its President, Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN, to mark the 2026 World Maritime Day, observed under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”

The association said the theme, adopted by the IMO for the two-year period covering 2026 and 2027, underscores the need to move beyond the negotiation and ratification of maritime conventions to their domestication, implementation and enforcement.

“Excellence must be visible in safer voyages, protected seafarers, cleaner waters, efficient cargo movement and confidence in the enforcement of maritime rights,” it said.

The NMLA noted that global shipping was facing growing demands relating to safety, security, decarbonisation and technological change, stressing that international standards alone could not address the challenges.

“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,” the association said.

It added that the transition to cleaner shipping must take account of the financing and infrastructure constraints confronting developing maritime nations.

The association said Nigeria’s membership of the IMO Council for the 2026–2027 biennium offered an opportunity for the country to contribute to global maritime policy and decision-making, but argued that this international role should be matched by stronger implementation at home.

According to the NMLA, Nigeria’s voice would carry greater weight if treaties it had signed or ratified were promptly domesticated and effectively implemented and monitored by relevant institutions.

The association cited Nigeria’s existing maritime framework, including the Nigerian Ports Authority Act, Cabotage Act 2003, Merchant Shipping Act 2007, Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019 and Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act.

It also noted ongoing work by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on ship-to-ship transfer and cargo-related regulations, ship finance and ship registration, as well as its collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in securing the Gulf of Guinea.

The NMLA said these efforts, supported by the Deep Blue Project and international partnerships, had contributed to a measurable decline in piracy and armed robbery at sea in Nigerian waters.

It nevertheless called for stronger legislation, enforcement and institutional capacity to consolidate the gains.

The association called for full implementation of the Cabotage Act and a shift away from reliance on waivers towards the development of indigenous tonnage, shipbuilding and vessel ownership capacity.

It also demanded stronger enforcement of the SPOMO Act and continued judicial capacity-building to ensure the speedy prosecution of piracy and other maritime crimes.

The NMLA further called for closer alignment between Nigerian maritime legislation and international conventions, particularly in ship registration, environmental compliance and seafarers’ welfare.

It urged the National Assembly to complete action on all pending maritime bills before May 2027, when its current tenure expires.

The association also called for sustained investment in maritime dispute-resolution capacity, arguing that Lagos should develop into a credible maritime arbitration and admiralty centre capable of competing with established centres, including London.

It said legal certainty was essential to a capital-intensive industry that depended on the confidence of shipowners, charterers, cargo interests, financiers, insurers and seafarers.

“Disputes and claims are bound to arise in maritime transportation. Where they arise, timely and just resolutions are parts of a functioning maritime economy because the industry is highly capital intensive,” it said.

The NMLA advocated closer collaboration among the Nigerian Bar Association, Judiciary, NIMASA, Nigerian Navy and industry stakeholders to ensure predictable and enforceable outcomes.

It said its own contribution to strengthening maritime legal capacity included participation in the International Maritime Seminar for Judges, training judges and justices on maritime law and practice with the National Judicial Institute, and organising maritime seminars and breakfast meetings.

The association also drew attention to attacks on merchant vessels in conflict zones, including the Strait of Hormuz, Black Sea and Sea of Azov, which it said had resulted in seafarer casualties and disruptions to critical supply chains.

It said the incidents reinforced the need to translate international conventions, codes and guidelines into binding national legislation and effective operational practice.

Citing IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the NMLA said regulations could deliver safer, more resilient and cleaner shipping only when effectively implemented, with seafarers as the ultimate beneficiaries.

It consequently urged the Federal Government, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and National Assembly to accelerate the ratification and domestication of outstanding treaties and adequately resource enforcement agencies.

It also tasked NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria and the courts with effectively implementing and enforcing existing maritime laws.

The association said the performance of the sector should ultimately be measured by outcomes visible to maritime businesses and the public, rather than by the number of policies, laws or treaties adopted.

It reaffirmed its commitment to maritime law reform, professional education and engagement with government and industry, stressing that the ultimate measure of maritime policy was what it enabled people to do “safely, efficiently and responsibly” in practice.

The NMLA also expressed solidarity with seafarers operating in conflict-affected waters, stressing that no maritime legal framework was complete unless it protected the men and women who keep global trade moving.