Maritime lawyers have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently assent to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, saying it will accelerate reforms and improve efficiency in the country’s maritime sector.
The President of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association, Chief Michael Igbokwe, made the call at the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Justices in Abuja.
He said the bill, which seeks to establish an independent economic regulator for Nigeria’s ports, has been forwarded to the president twice and should be signed into law without further delay.
He said the proposed law will strengthen the regulatory role of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, improve port operations and boost investor confidence in the maritime sector.
“We call on Mr President to expedite assent to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, which has come before him twice.
“Its implementation by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will enable the government and Nigerians to enjoy the full benefits of ongoing port reforms,” Igbokwe said.
He also urged the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to establish an admiralty registry and further strengthen the court’s admiralty division in line with the Admiralty Jurisdiction Procedure Rules 2023, saying specialised judicial structures are essential for speedy resolution of maritime disputes.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the Tinubu administration had laid the institutional, regulatory and economic foundations for a thriving marine economy.
He said the government had developed Nigeria’s first National Policy on the Marine Economy to provide a framework for sustainable sectoral growth.
Oyetola also said the Deep Blue Project had helped eliminate piracy in Nigeria’s territorial waters for four consecutive years, making the country’s maritime domain safer for international navigation and commerce.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said the Renewed Hope Agenda has made the blue economy a strategic priority, adding that the government remains committed to unlocking the maritime sector’s potential for trade, investment, job creation and economic diversification.
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