As maritime lawyers call for single legislation
By Godwin Oritse
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has stated that establishing a robust multi-modal transport system is crucial to achieving the success and long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s Blue Economy ambitions.
Speaking at the 16th Lecture and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association, NMLA, themed: “The Future of Multimodal Transport in Global Trade: Evolving Carriage Regimes, Enforcement Mechanisms and Legal Certainty” Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said that transport systems across sea, road, air, rail, and inland waterways are evolving faster than the legal frameworks that support them.
Oduwole, however, called on members of the NMLA to bridge this gap in terms of legislation and policies.
Oduwole, who was represented by the Legal Adviser of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mrs. Oyindamola Ade-Alli, said that transport systems across sea, road, air, rail, and inland waterways are evolving far more rapidly than the legal frameworks governing them. She noted that robust, unified legislation is central to Nigeria’s ambitions in the Blue Economy.
The Minister explained that modernizing transport networks and strengthening regulatory structures are vital to protecting shippers and carriers, boosting investor confidence, and integrating Nigeria more deeply into global trade.
She said, “We meet at a time when global supply chains are being reinvented, driven by technological advancement, expanding trade routes, global disruptions, and increasing pressure for sustainability. Transport systems across sea, road, air, rail, and inland waterways are evolving faster than the legal frameworks that support them. As maritime lawyers and policymakers, we must bridge this gap.
“For Nigeria, this is central to our aspirations in the Blue Economy. Modernizing transport networks and strengthening regulatory environments are essential to protecting shippers and carriers, boosting investor confidence, and integrating our economy more deeply into global trade. This conversation is timely and strategic, shaping a future where multimodal connectivity drives economic expansion and creates opportunities across our coastal and inland communities.
“Global trade is no longer defined by port-to-port movement but by seamless, secure, origin-to-destination delivery, anchored by rules that define liability, ensure safety, and protect all stakeholders. The future of trade will be determined by two factors—how efficiently goods move and how clearly the law governs that movement.
“This makes evolving carriage regimes, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and legal certainty critical to Nigeria’s competitiveness and to Africa’s integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“For decades, the maritime industry has operated under the Hague, Hague-Visby and Hamburg Rules, each an important stage in carriage law. But today’s supply chains are multimodal and increasingly digital. The Rotterdam Rules, though not yet globally adopted, point toward what future-ready regimes should reflect—a single contract for multimodal transport, recognition of electronic transport records, extended responsibilities for carriers,enhanced transparency and documentation integrity.
“A forward-looking carriage regime for Nigeria must therefore support digitalization, fair liability allocation, efficient dispute resolution, and alignment with global best practice—principles that will determine our competitiveness in an efficiency-driven global supply chain environment.
“One major pressure point is fragmented liability. Cargo may move from vessel to barge to truck to warehouse, each under different rules and responsibilities. This creates ambiguity and increases cost. As Nigeria advances its logistics ambitions through the Lekki Deep Sea Port and planned ports in Bakassi, Ibom, Badagry, Olokola, Agge and Ilaje, we must ensure a harmonized liability system that investors can trust.
“As practitioners, policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders, we must work together to modernize carriage regimes, clarify multimodal liability, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and build the legal certainty essential for the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
“Even the best laws require strong enforcement. Enforcement must be transparent, predictable, and technologically enabled. Nigeria is enhancing compliance through inter-agency coordination, digital documentation and e-verification, vessel tracking, risk-based inspections, and stronger collaboration with the judiciary and arbitration institutions.
“As we look ahead, the Blue Economy remains one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers for growth, spanning waterways, ports, coastal tourism, maritime services, fisheries, and offshore activities. But it cannot thrive without efficient transport, safe waterways, modern legal frameworks, and robust enforcement. Water transport is emerging as a strategic pillar for Lagos and other coastal states, offering faster mobility, reduced congestion, lower emissions, and a viable alternative to road transport.”
SOURCE: VANGUARD
