Save Nigeria Group Urges NSC to Prioritize Industry Reform Over Judicial Seminars
The Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers and Exporters Coalition (SNFFIEC) has called on the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Pius Akutah, to suspend the council’s annual International Maritime Seminar for Judges, urging a redirection of resources toward resolving critical challenges in the shipping and logistics sector.
At a press briefing held Monday, Chief Osita Chukwu (PhD, KSJI), National Coordinator of SNFFIEC, criticized the NSC for allegedly allocating hundreds of millions of naira to judicial seminars while neglecting its core mandate as Nigeria’s port economic regulator.
“Every time you visit the NSC, the Executive Secretary is unavailable—he’s always away, spending shippers’ money on training judges,” Chukwu lamented.
He argued that organizing judicial seminars falls under the jurisdiction of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), not the NSC. He warned that if preparations for the 2026 seminar continue, the coalition would seek legal redress at the Industrial Court. Chukwu also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, describing the seminar as a misuse of public funds and a potential act of corruption.
The coalition announced plans to petition the Presidency, National Assembly, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Attorney General of the Federation, calling for a comprehensive audit of the NSC’s financial activities and operational focus.
Despite the backlash, the NSC is proceeding with its plans. Recently, its leadership visited the NJI in Abuja to reinforce their collaboration. Barr. Akutah defended the seminar, emphasizing its importance in equipping judges with the legal expertise required to adjudicate complex maritime and blue economy cases.
Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo (OFR), NJI Administrator, praised the partnership and proposed extending the training to include court registrars, which could further increase the seminar’s budget.
The seminar, jointly organized by the NSC and NJI, aims to enhance judicial understanding of maritime and admiralty law, promote effective dispute resolution, and support a stable legal framework for Nigeria’s maritime industry.
When contacted, Mrs. Rebecca Adamu, Head of Public Relations at NSC, stated that the council’s Legal Department would respond to inquiries. However, no official response had been received at the time of this report.
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