‘Autonomous Ships, Digital Trade Will Test Maritime Laws’

The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has urged the judiciary to prepare for a new generation of maritime disputes arising from autonomous ships, digital shipping and the global transition to cleaner maritime transport.

Oyetola said the rapid evolution of maritime technology was creating unprecedented legal questions around liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations and the allocation of responsibility when autonomous vessels or their systems fail.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said the digitalisation of shipping through electronic bills of lading, blockchain-enabled cargo documentation and digital freight contracts was transforming global commerce while creating “fresh evidentiary, contractual, and jurisdictional issues”.

“The prospect of vessels operating with limited or no human crews raises fundamental questions concerning liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations, and the allocation of legal responsibility when technology fails,” Oyetola said.

He said the growing international focus on maritime decarbonisation and environmental responsibility would also generate increasingly complex disputes over environmental liability, pollution damage, regulatory enforcement and compliance with evolving international standards, urging judges to approach such cases with “sound legal reasoning, scientific understanding, and awareness of emerging international jurisprudence”.

Oyetola emphasised that by strengthening the mechanism for prompt and efficient resolution of shipping disputes through litigation and arbitration, Nigeria can successfully position itself as Africa’s premier maritime hub.

“Every judgment delivered in a maritime matter sends a powerful message — not only to the litigants before the court, but also to international investors, shipowners, financiers, insurers, cargo interests, and seafarers across the world,” he said. “A predictable, well-reasoned, and internationally informed judiciary is itself an instrument of economic competitiveness. It lowers transaction costs, enhances commercial confidence, encourages parties to choose Nigerian courts and Nigerian arbitration centres for the resolution of maritime disputes, and reinforces Nigeria’s reputation as a credible destination for maritime investment.”

The minister said the Federal Government would support the expansion of specialised maritime divisions within the Federal High Court, align domestic legislation with contemporary international maritime conventions and promote robust alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms, particularly maritime arbitration.

He said a predictable and internationally informed judiciary could reduce transaction costs, strengthen commercial confidence and encourage parties to choose Nigerian courts and Nigerian arbitration centres for the resolution of maritime disputes.

“Judicial excellence has become a strategic economic asset, and investments in judicial capacity are investments in Nigeria’s future competitiveness within the global maritime economy,” Dr. Oyetola said.

Oyetola also said that the Federal Government had secured a £746 million financing agreement with the United Kingdom for the modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, while the approved disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund would enable Nigerian shipowners to acquire vessels, expand their participation in coastal shipping and create an estimated 30,000 jobs.

He said Nigeria had recorded four consecutive years without piracy in its territorial waters through the Deep Blue Project, while the country’s maritime agencies collectively generated more than ₦1.8 trillion in 2025. Domestic fish production, he added, had risen from approximately 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes.

The minister said the expansion of offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed resources, coastal tourism and other blue economy sectors would inevitably generate more disputes involving investors, regulators, host communities and commercial operators.

“The marine and blue economy cannot flourish in a legal vacuum,” Oyetola said, adding that Nigeria required courts with “the courage to uphold the rule of law, the wisdom to balance the legitimate interests of commerce with the demands of justice, and the expertise to interpret and apply increasingly sophisticated international maritime legal instruments.”

Also speaking, the chairman of the event and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, underscored the strategic importance of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s economy and the significance of the seminar in strengthening the legal and institutional framework required for its sustainable development.

He emphasised the need for the speedy dispensation of admiralty justice and the prompt resolution of maritime-related disputes, noting that delays in the administration of justice could have far-reaching consequences for trade, shipping, investment, port operations and the wider economy.

He stressed that efficient and timely resolution of disputes was essential to maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and enhancing the country’s competitiveness as a regional trade and shipping hub.

The SGF also cautioned government agencies against operating in silos, stressing that the complex nature of the maritime and blue economy sectors required effective coordination and collaboration among relevant institutions. He assured participants of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency cooperation to promote trade, improve port efficiency, streamline maritime operations and support the growth of the sector.

Also speaking, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who declared the seminar open, said the maritime sector serves as a vital channel for the movement of goods and services, facilitates international trade, supports economic growth and contributes significantly to employment and national revenue.

The Chief Justice further emphasised the importance of effective and prompt dispensation of admiralty justice, noting that maritime disputes often involve complex, time-sensitive and cross-border transactions.

She stressed that delays in resolving such disputes could disrupt commercial operations, increase costs, undermine investor confidence and affect the smooth functioning of the maritime industry. She therefore underscored the need for a responsive, efficient and specialised system of admiralty justice capable of resolving maritime disputes in a timely and effective manner.

Justice Kekere-Ekun also highlighted the importance of collaboration across jurisdictions, particularly given the inherently international nature of maritime commerce.

She noted that ships, cargoes, commercial transactions and maritime disputes frequently involve multiple countries and legal systems, making cooperation among courts, judicial officers, regulators, legal practitioners and other stakeholders essential.

She further underscored the importance of the seminar as a platform for judicial and professional engagement, knowledge-sharing and the strengthening of institutional capacity in the field of maritime law.

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, also highlighted the strategic importance of the maritime sector to national and global economies. He noted that disruptions in maritime trade could reverberate across national economies, affecting supply chains, the availability and cost of goods, industrial production and economic growth.

He assured participants that the House of Representatives would continue to enact appropriate legislation and diligently perform its oversight functions to support the development of the maritime sector.

Other notable attendees included the Chief Justices of The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone; Justices of the Supreme and Appeal Courts; Federal and State High Court Judges; as well as legal scholars, arbitrators and maritime law practitioners.