Court of Appeal Landmark Ruling Reaffirms Exclusive Federal Control Over Nigeria’s Maritime Jurisdiction

Nigeria's Court of Appeal reaffirms federal exclusivity in maritime matters, nullifying Akwa Ibom's maritime law and streamlining Blue Economy regulations.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 7:49 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Gazette Nigeria

The Judicial Reassertion of Federal Sovereignty

The Nigerian legal landscape regarding maritime authority has been fundamentally reshaped following the Court of Appeal’s decision in Strickland Services Limited v. Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service & Anor. In a unanimous ruling delivered on February 25, 2026, the court set aside a previous Federal High Court decision, effectively terminating the attempt by littoral states to exercise regulatory or fiscal control over coastal waters. The court held that maritime matters are reserved strictly for the National Assembly, rendering any state-level intervention unconstitutional.

Grounds for the Nullification of State Laws

The central conflict involved a $240,000 levy demanded by Akwa Ibom State from Strickland Services Limited. The Court of Appeal identified three critical legal failures in the state's position:

Jurisdictional Encroachment: State laws cannot enter territory reserved for federal legislation.

Existing Federal Framework: Comprehensive federal laws already govern the sector, leaving no room for state-level "governance noise."