Maritime lawyers advocate for integrated law to tackle fragmented transport system

By Godwin Oritse

Members of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA) have renewed their call for a single, harmonised legislation to govern all modes of transport, arguing that an integrated legal framework is essential to standardising and strengthening the country’s currently fragmented transport system.

Speaking at the association’s 16th Lecture and Annual General Meeting, themed “The future of Multimodal Transport in global trade evolving carriage regimes, enforcement mechanism and legal certainty”, its President, Mrs. Funke Agbor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), said that the linkages between logistics, infrastructure, policy and economic growth are inseparable and must be addressed collectively.

Agbor added that as supply chains become more complex and as demands for efficiency, tighter regulation and sustainability continue to rise it has become crucial for maritime lawyers and other industry stakeholders to ensure that the governing legal frameworks are modern, coherent, enforceable and truly fit for purpose.

She said: “In line with this, today’s programme features two thought-provoking panel sessions. The first will address the enforcement challenges in multimodal transport, including overlapping liabilities, inconsistent documentation and the need for stronger institutional coordination.

“The second panel will focus on legal certainty in agri-multimodal transport, examining issues around jurisdictional clarity, emerging contractual structures and the role of the courts.

“The good thing is that we have a lot of capacity within the association to try to navigate this particular objective. I think the importance of the discussions that we have had here shows how important legislation is and how necessary it is.

“Therefore, we just have to roll up our sleeves and buy into that objective and by actually working towards the objective and the association is well placed to do that.”
Similarly, Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court said that the absence of a comprehensive legislation in Multimodal Transport system is a major challenge which Mr.Mike Igbokwe, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN also noted the movement of crude oil and refined Petroleum products must be considered in the course of putting these policies together because these commodities are transported via pipelines.

Also commenting, former Director of the Legal Services department of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Matthew Egbadon said that a single legislation on Multimodal Transport is desirable as such a law will enhance logistics and supply chain industry in Nigeria.

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