Nigerian maritime law, cabotage, SPOMO and blue economy regulation

Assessment 8: Doctrinal and Policy Essay on Nigerian Maritime Law and Regulatory Framework (3,000–3,500 words)

Module and Assessment Overview

• Module title: Nigerian Maritime Law, Regulation and the Blue Economy

• Assessment type: Individual doctrinal/policy essay

• Weighting: 30–40% of module grade

• Length: 3,000–3,500 words (excluding references)

• Level: Final-year undergraduate / postgraduate taught (Level 6/7 equivalent)

Assessment Focus

Write a 3,000–3,500 word essay that critically analyses Nigeria’s maritime law and regulatory framework, focusing on how core statutes and institutions (for example Merchant Shipping Act 2007, NIMASA Act 2007, Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, SPOMO Act, NPA regime and emerging blue economy framework) regulate shipping, safety, cabotage and the marine environment, and how they are evolving within the blue economy agenda.

1. Assignment overview

Task:
Write a 3,000–3,500 word doctrinal and policy essay titled:

“Nigeria’s Maritime Law and Regulatory Framework: Cabotage, SPOMO and the Blue Economy Agenda”

You must:

• Map the core Nigerian maritime statutes and institutions.

• Analyse doctrinal issues (what the law says) and implementation practice (how it works).

• Evaluate how well the current framework supports safety, security, local content and the blue economy.

• Propose clear, realistic legal and policy reforms.

Weighting: 30–40% of module grade.

Level: Final‑year LLB / LLM or equivalent maritime law module.

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2. Scope and focus

You must engage with, at minimum:

1. Key legislation and instruments

   • Merchant Shipping Act 2007 (selected parts relevant to safety, registration, liability).

   • Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Act 2007.

   • Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 and recent Alteration Bill.​

   • Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019.​

   • Relevant regulations, NIMASA guidelines and standard operating procedures where useful.

2. Core institutions

   • NIMASA and its regulatory and enforcement mandate.

   • Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and port‑related regulatory powers.

   • Relevant courts, prosecutors and other agencies (Navy, marine police) insofar as they link to the legal framework.

3. Blue economy and policy context

   • Nigeria’s emerging blue economy agenda and the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

   • How existing maritime laws and institutions support or constrain blue economy objectives.

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3. Detailed instructions and structure

3.1 Required structure (suggested headings)

You may adjust headings slightly, but your essay should broadly follow this logic:

1. Introduction (≈300–400 words)

   • Introduce the topic and its importance for Nigeria (trade, security, blue economy).

   • Identify your central research question(s), for example:

     • “To what extent do Nigeria’s maritime statutes and institutions provide a coherent framework for cabotage, anti‑piracy enforcement and blue economy development?”

   • Outline scope (which laws and institutions you focus on) and structure of the essay.

2. Overview of Nigerian maritime law and institutions (≈600–800 words)

   • Provide a concise doctrinal overview of the main statutes and how they fit together (Merchant Shipping Act, NIMASA Act, Cabotage Act, SPOMO Act).

   • Map institutional roles: NIMASA, NPA, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, relevant security agencies and courts.

   • Highlight any overlaps, gaps or ambiguities in mandates.

3. Cabotage regime: objectives, compliance and reform (≈700–900 words)

   • Explain the objectives of the Cabotage Act (local content, control of coastal trade).

   • Summarise key requirements (ownership, manning, building/registration), waiver mechanisms and enforcement powers.

   • Critically discuss compliance and enforcement experience, drawing on studies evaluating cabotage compliance.​

   • Analyse the Cabotage (Alteration) Bill 2021 or subsequent proposals: what problems they are trying to fix, and potential risks.​

4. SPOMO Act and maritime security (≈600–800 words)

   • Outline the legal architecture of SPOMO (definitions of piracy and maritime offences, jurisdiction, penalties).

   • Analyse how SPOMO interacts with UNCLOS provisions and NIMASA’s ratified conventions.​

   • Use available commentary and case examples (where accessible) to consider strengths and shortcomings: clarity of offences, prosecutorial practice, coordination with Navy and regional mechanisms.

5. Blue economy and regulatory coherence (≈600–800 words)

   • Describe Nigeria’s blue economy agenda and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

   • Evaluate how existing maritime laws (Merchant Shipping Act, NIMASA Act, Cabotage Act, SPOMO) support or hinder blue economy goals, such as:

     • Sustainable use of marine resources.

     • Investment in maritime infrastructure and services.

     • Environmental protection and climate-resilient development.

   • Identify gaps or inconsistencies (for example fragmentation of mandates, outdated provisions, incoherent environmental regulation).

6. Reform options and recommendations (≈400–600 words)

   • Propose specific, realistic law and policy reforms, such as:

     • Targeted amendments to Cabotage Act and regulations (for example waiver transparency, enforcement powers).

     • Clarifications or improvements to SPOMO (for example evidential rules, regional cooperation).

     • Institutional reforms to align NIMASA, NPA and the blue economy ministry mandates.

     • Better integration of environmental/blue economy principles into maritime statutes.

   • Justify each recommendation using your earlier doctrinal and policy analysis.

7. Conclusion (≈200–300 words)

   • Briefly restate your main findings.

   • Answer the research question directly.

   • Emphasise the most critical reform priorities.

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3.2 Research and sources

• Use primary law: statutes and, where available, regulations and SOPs.

• Use secondary sources:

  • Peer‑reviewed articles and dissertations on Nigerian maritime law and cabotage.

  • Authoritative practice notes and professional commentaries on Cabotage and SPOMO.

  • Policy and blue‑economy reports providing the broader context.

Minimum:

• At least 12–15 scholarly or authoritative sources.

• Ensure most are from 2018–2026 and clearly relevant to Nigeria.

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3.3 Style and formatting

• Word count: 3,000–3,500 words (excluding references).

• Font & spacing: 11–12 pt, 1.5 spacing, standard margins.

• Voice: Academic and analytical; first person (“I”) is optional but keep tone formal.

• Referencing:

  • Harvard style for in‑text citations and reference list.

  • Provide full details (author, year, title, journal/book, volume/issue, pages, DOI or URL).

• Academic integrity:

  • All work must be your own.

  • Paraphrase accurately and cite every use of ideas, arguments or data.

  • Keep quotes short and use them sparingly.

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4. Marking criteria (detailed rubric)

Total: 100 marks (scaled to module weighting).

Grade bands (indicative)

• 70–100 (Distinction):
  Highly structured, doctrinally precise and analytically strong essay; excellent integration of law, policy and blue economy context; original, well‑justified reforms; very good use of sources.

• 60–69 (Merit):
  Strong grasp of core laws and institutions; clear structure and argument; some insightful critique and recommendations; minor gaps or uneven depth in one or two sections.

• 50–59 (Pass):
  Basic description of main statutes and institutions; limited critical analysis; argument is present but sometimes unclear or under‑developed; narrow or uneven use of sources.

• <50 (Fail):
  Serious misunderstandings of key laws; largely descriptive or off‑topic; weak or absent argument; poor structure or referencing; minimal engagement with Nigerian context.

References

Use at least three of these, plus additional materials as needed:

1. Dike, S.C. (2024) ‘Nigeria’s blue economy: economic and environmental dimensions’, in Africa’s Blue Economy: Emerging Legal and Policy Issues. VLIZ Special Publication. Available at: https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/413992.pdf​

2. Ndubueze, I.P. (2024) Nigeria’s blue economy initiative through the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy: Legal and institutional implications. Master’s dissertation, World Maritime University. Available at: https://commons.wmu.se/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3389&context=all_dissertations​

3. NIMASA (2023) ‘NIMASA’s ratified conventions and the much-sought-after SPOMO Act’, NIMASA News Feature, 11 September. Available at: https://nimasa.gov.ng/nimasas-ratified-conventions-and-the-much-sought-after-spomo-act/​

4. S.S. Kohn & Co. (2022) ‘Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act (Alteration) Bill 2021: Key issues and implications’, LORGAP Series, July. Available at: https://sskohn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/LORGAP-ARTICLE-ON-THE-COASTAL-AND-INLAND-SHIPPING-CABOTAGE-ACT-ALTERATION-BILL-202…​

5. Nwankwo, O. (2023) ‘Understanding Nigeria’s maritime and shipping regulatory framework: institutions, compliance and reform needs’, Disciplines Nigeria Legal Insight, 7 December. Available at: https://disciplines.ng/maritime-and-shipping-regulatory-framework/​