The 2025 KENNA Litigation Forum, held on November 25 in Lagos, brought together legal practitioners and corporate executives to discuss “Shifting from Dispute Resolution to Dispute Prevention and Management.”
The event also featured the public presentation of Preliminary Objections in Litigation, the latest book by Professor Fabian Ajogwu, OFR, SAN, and Senior Partner at KENNA.
Opening the forum, Ajogwu stressed the rising importance of dispute prevention in contemporary legal practice, noting that while disputes are inevitable, early investment in prevention and management is more cost-effective for businesses.
A panel session moderated by Ms. Chiamaka Anakua, Associate at KENNA, examined practical tools for addressing disputes before they escalate. Speakers included Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN, President of the Nigerian Maritime Lawyers Association; Mr. Emeka Anyaeji, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Quantum Zenith Group; and Mr. Damilola Raji, Senior Associate at KENNA.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court delivered the keynote address, emphasising procedural discipline, foresight and improved collaboration between in-house and external counsel as essential to reducing avoidable litigation. He also commended Ajogwu’s contribution to strengthening legal practice.
Igbokwe called for a shift from adversarial approaches to more collaborative methods that preserve business relationships, noting that clients increasingly prioritise efficiency and cost reduction.
Anyaeji outlined risk-management strategies including clearer contract drafting and proactive stakeholder engagement, while Raji highlighted tools such as pre-mortem analysis and artificial intelligence for identifying contractual vulnerabilities.
Additional perspectives came from C.O. Toyin Pinheiro, SAN, of Toyin Pinheiro & Co., who noted the relevance of the theme to in-house counsel and highlighted persistent challenges in case management. Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, of Pinheiro LP, stressed that many corporate disputes are avoidable and that significant financial losses often result from the absence of early intervention.
The forum concluded with the unveiling of Ajogwu’s new book. In the foreword, Prof. Fidelis Oditah, KC, SAN, described Preliminary Objections in Litigation as a valuable contribution to Nigerian legal jurisprudence, praising its clarity and practical relevance. The publishers, CLDS Publishing, were also in attendance.
