By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

The Citizens Whistleblowers Coalition (CWC) has called on the Federal Government to investigate the operations of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in Nigeria over alleged economic sabotage, judicial subversion, and potential tax evasion.

At a press briefing in Port Harcourt, representatives of the coalition — Nafiu Ibrahim (Programme Investigation), Ella Susan (Project Officer, Government Liaison), and Owhonda Nwakanma (Programme Officer, Socio-Economic Rights) — accused MSC of systematically undermining Nigeria’s judicial system by attempting to prevent Nigerian entities from pursuing legal action within Nigerian courts.

The group cited a recent incident involving Interglobal Technologies, a Nigerian firm, which filed a N49 million admiralty case against MSC at the Federal High Court. In response, MSC secured an ex parte anti-suit injunction from a High Court in London, effectively seeking to bar the Nigerian company from pursuing the matter locally.

“In the London case (Suit No: CL-2024-000700), MSC is relying on an alleged exclusive jurisdiction clause in its terms of engagement, claiming that only the High Court in London can adjudicate disputes involving its services—even when those services are rendered in Nigeria,” the coalition said.

CWC argued that this move directly contravenes Section 20 of Nigeria’s Admiralty Jurisdiction Act (AJA), which prohibits the exclusion of Nigerian court jurisdiction in maritime cases involving deliveries or parties within Nigeria.

“The Nigerian law is clear. Where the place of delivery is in Nigeria or any of the parties reside in Nigeria, the jurisdiction of Nigerian courts cannot be ousted. This is designed to protect Nigerians from exploitative foreign entities,” the group said.

The coalition raised alarms over what it described as MSC’s “oppressive practices,” including excessive demurrage charges, unjustified delays in cargo delivery, and lack of transparency in shipping terms — allegedly in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Act.

“It is unacceptable that a foreign multinational, which earns over $2 billion annually from Nigeria, is leveraging those earnings to frustrate the Nigerian legal system and oppress local businesses,” the statement read.

The coalition also urged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to audit MSC’s declared revenues and assess the accuracy of its tax remittances, while calling on the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Assembly, and relevant regulators to intervene.

“MSC now seeks to block Nigerian importers from accessing justice by embedding exclusive jurisdiction clauses that force litigation to the UK, where legal costs are prohibitive. This clause, if it exists, is null and void under Section 20 of the AJA,” the group insisted.

The CWC concluded by warning that unless MSC is called to order, it should be barred from operating in Nigeria.

“No company, no matter how powerful or profitable, should be allowed to trample on the laws of the land. MSC must respect Nigerian sovereignty and the rights of its people,” the coalition declared.