Nigeria’s successful bid to host the $5 billion Africa Energy Bank has drawn commendation from leading diplomats and international law experts, who say the milestone underscores the urgent need for sustained investment in capacity building in international law and diplomacy to consolidate the country’s growing global influence.

The experts made this known at the high-level opening ceremony of the 2026 Certificate of Advanced Studies in International Law and Diplomacy, a one-week programme organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in partnership with the International Law Association (Nigerian Branch).

The course, which focuses on leveraging international diplomacy for investment, finance and sustainable development, is designed to equip participants with specialised knowledge and skills required to unlock mutually beneficial foreign trade and investment opportunities for Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NIALS, Prof. Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan, stressed the importance of deploying top-tier expertise in diplomatic engagements to maximise national gains.

He said the quality of representatives engaged in international negotiations must reflect the country’s best minds, noting that effective participation in global affairs requires a new generation of legal practitioners and policymakers equipped for 21st-century challenges.

“As lawyers, practitioners and students, there is a need to rise to the challenge and equip ourselves for modern legal service delivery. This course is structured to provide the skillsets needed to advocate for and practise international law and diplomacy in ways that benefit Nigeria and the wider global community,” Abikan said.

Delivering the keynote address, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ambassador Nicholas Agbo Ella, described diplomacy as a critical driver of national development, anchored fundamentally on trust.

According to him, while treaties, agreements and partnerships remain essential tools of statecraft, their sustainability depends largely on the confidence they inspire among stakeholders.

“Investors seek assurance that contracts will be honoured, development partners require confidence that commitments will be fulfilled, and citizens expect transparency and accountability. Trust is the invisible currency that sustains international cooperation,” he said.

Ella emphasised that international law provides the predictability required in an increasingly complex global environment, making it indispensable for stable and beneficial international relations.

He commended Nigeria’s recent success in securing the hosting rights for the Africa Energy Bank, describing it as a significant diplomatic achievement under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Nigeria emerged ahead of several contenders, including Ghana, Benin, Algeria, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire, to host the bank, which is being established by the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) in partnership with Afreximbank. The institution is expected to commence operations in Abuja in September 2026.

The diplomat noted that the development reinforces Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa’s energy sector and highlights the strategic importance of effective diplomacy in securing economic opportunities.

He also praised NIALS and the International Law Association for their continued commitment to advancing legal scholarship and fostering international understanding, describing such initiatives as critical investments in future leadership.

President of the International Law Association (Nigeria), Prof. Damilola Olawuyi (SAN), highlighted the growing complexity of global challenges, including geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, competition for critical minerals and climate change, as factors driving the need for skilled international law practitioners.

He noted that recent developments such as the US-Iran conflict, shifting energy dynamics and evolving trade policies have further underscored the importance of cooperative legal and diplomatic frameworks.

“A course like this provides a vital opportunity to strengthen Nigeria and Africa’s voice on the global stage by preparing professionals capable of navigating these complexities and promoting collaborative solutions,” he said.

The programme features modules covering a wide range of contemporary issues, including international trade and investment negotiations, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, human rights and humanitarian law, international criminal law, energy and petroleum transactions, climate change, conflict resolution, commercial arbitration and regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Established in 1979, NIALS remains Nigeria’s apex legal research and training institution, while the International Law Association, founded in 1873, continues to promote the study, development and application of international law globally.

Stakeholders at the event therefore agreed that while Nigeria’s hosting of the Africa Energy Bank represents a major diplomatic and economic breakthrough, sustained progress will depend on deepening institutional capacity, strengthening legal expertise and maintaining a consistent commitment to principled, strategic engagement on the international stage.