Leading legal practitioners, maritime regulators and industry stakeholders will converge in Lagos on 17 July 2026 for a one-day seminar organised by the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA) to examine the changing dynamics of the global maritime industry and the challenges shaping its future.
The seminar, themed “Navigating the New Maritime Order: Law, Trade, Energy Transition and Emerging Risks,” will take place at Four Points by Sheraton, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos, beginning at 9am.
The event is expected to provide a platform for robust discussions on the evolving legal, commercial and regulatory landscape of the maritime sector, with a focus on the impact of global trade shifts, energy transition policies and emerging risks on shipping and maritime business.
Renowned maritime law expert and Managing Partner of Olawoyin & Olawoyin, Prof. Adewale Olawoyin, SAN, will deliver the keynote address, setting the tone for deliberations on the opportunities and challenges confronting the industry.
A major highlight of the seminar will be a panel session on “Shipping Through Uncertainty: Trade, Energy Transition and Emerging Maritime Risk.”
The discussion will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers, including Olori Vicky Haastrup, Chairman of ENL Consortium and Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN); Mark Malumo, Principal Legal Officer at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Inem Busa, Founding Principal of Bodin Legal Practitioners; and Bilkisu Lawal-Akinlola, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of DAA Secure Platforms Limited.
The panel session will be moderated by Kashimana Tsumba, Managing Partner of Tsumba & Tsumba Legal Practitioners, who is expected to steer conversations around the legal and operational implications of emerging developments in the maritime industry.
The seminar will also feature a fireside chat on “The Maritime Profession Across Generations: Past, Present, Future,” offering participants an opportunity to explore the evolution of maritime legal practice and the changing expectations of professionals in the sector.
The fireside discussion will bring together respected legal practitioners, including Sir Louis Mbanefo, SAN, Senior Partner at Louis Mbanefo & Co, and Mrs Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, SAN, C.Arb, Managing Partner of Doyin Rhodes-Vivour & Co Legal Practitioners and Arbitrators. The session will be moderated by Nonso Azih, Principal Counsel at Azih & Azih Legal Practitioners.
Organisers say the seminar is designed to encourage meaningful dialogue on contemporary maritime issues while fostering collaboration among legal professionals, regulators, industry operators and policymakers.
The event is open to both members and non-members of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association, with attendance fees set at ₦75,000 for NMLA members and ₦100,000 for non-members.
Registration is available through the designated online registration portal provided by the association.