The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has reiterated Nigeria’s effort towards new practice directions aimed at reducing adjournments, curbing frivolous challenges, reinforcing party autonomy and ensuring timely enforcement of arbitral awards.
Speaking at the 2025 International Arbitration, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Conference and investiture ceremony organised by the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb), the AGF said it was high time Africa strengthened institutional arbitration and ADR systems, as the continent can no longer afford to export disputes or outsource its intellectual capacity.
With the theme, ‘Strengthening Institutional Arbitration and ADR in Africa: Charting the New Path’, Fagbemi said Africa’s arbitration institutions are expanding, practitioners are gaining global recognition and business environments are becoming more sophisticated.
According to him, credible and efficient dispute resolution mechanisms have become essential as trade deepens under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Acknowledging lingering challenges, including inconsistent legislation, concerns about neutrality, weak institutional capacity and enforcement delays, he described them as opportunities for reform and announced collaboration with judicial bodies, the private sector and continental partners to address them.
Fagbemi charged inductees and awardees to uphold integrity, be innovative and mentor the next generations so they can build institutions capable of turning disputes into opportunities for justice, prosperity and peace.
In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), urged legal practitioners to embrace ADR mechanisms. He warned that overdependence on litigation harms judges, clients and the justice system.
Osigwe frowned at prolonged court processes, which he said, inflict financial and psychological damages on litigants as well as undermine Nigeria’s reputation as a destination for commercial dispute resolution.
For the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the rule of law remained the backbone of Nigeria’s economic growth and social stability.
Represented by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), the governor said predictable laws, respected rights and impartial justice consistently drive development, citing the Justice Reform Summit and the Commercial Division of the High Court of Lagos State, created to fast-track complex business disputes, as some of the reforms by the state.
According to him, Lagos has continued to attract investors due to legal reliability. NICArb President, Professor Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), was optimistic that Africa’s arbitration landscape was going through a transformative era driven by new legal frameworks, continental partnerships, virtual proceedings and the emerging impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
He said virtual proceedings have eliminated most preliminary meetings, improved efficiency and reduced delays.
“Discoveries are going higher and most recently, the disruptive factor of AI is reshaping ADR”, Ajogwu said.
On the lingering challenges in arbitration, he insisted that strong arbitration is built on trust, consistency and principle, and underscored the need for institutions to be free of political or personal influence.
