— Back Nigeria as preferred hub
By Henry Ojelu & Amarachi Nwaorgu
LAGOS — Key stakeholders in Africa’s dispute resolution sector have called for a stronger African presence in the global arbitration landscape, while endorsing efforts to position Nigeria as a preferred destination for the resolution of international commercial disputes.

The call was made at the 10th ICC Africa Conference on International Arbitration in Lagos, where the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to making Nigeria a leading arbitration hub.

Represented by former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, the Attorney-General said the Federal Government was determined to create the legal and institutional framework necessary to attract international commercial disputes to Nigeria.

Fagbemi, commended the organisers and extended his goodwill to the leadership of the International Chamber of Commerce, ICC, the ICC International Court of Arbitration, ICC Nigeria and participants at the conference.

He assured delegates that recommendations emerging from the conference would receive serious consideration from his office.

“The Attorney-General is committed to using the instrumentality of his office to ensure that whatever resolutions and recommendations emerge from this conference are given effect,” Maikyau said.

According to him, one of the major objectives of the Federal Government is to see Nigeria emerge as a preferred seat for arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

He noted that the vision goes beyond attracting disputes from Africa, extending to commercial disagreements involving parties from Europe, Asia, the Americas and other parts of the world.

To advance the objective, Fagbemi disclosed that the Federal Government had constituted a committee to review Nigeria’s national arbitration policy.

The committee, chaired by Maikyau, is also reviewing the implementation of the Arbitration and Mediation Act to identify areas requiring reforms and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness as an arbitration-friendly jurisdiction.

“The objective is to attract disputes not only from within Africa but from across the globe to Nigeria as a preferred seat of arbitration,” he stated.

Earlier, Chair of ICC Africa, Mrs. Dorothy Ufot, SAN, reflected on the growth of the conference over the last decade, describing it as one of the continent’s most influential platforms for advancing international arbitration and dispute resolution.

She said the conference had contributed significantly to elevating Africa’s voice within the global dispute resolution community and fostering collaboration among practitioners, businesses and policymakers.

According to Ufot, the anniversary edition offers an opportunity not only to celebrate achievements recorded over the years but also to shape the future of international arbitration on the continent.

She noted that international dispute resolution continues to evolve in response to changing realities in global commerce and investment, stressing the need for African institutions to remain relevant and competitive.

Ufot also paid tribute to the leadership of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for its role in building one of the world’s most respected dispute resolution platforms.

She called for greater collaboration among governments, arbitral institutions, businesses and legal practitioners to strengthen Africa’s influence in shaping the future of international dispute resolution.

In his remarks, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said Africa had recorded remarkable progress in legal education, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.

However, he argued that the continent must take greater ownership of dispute resolution processes arising from transactions conducted within Africa.

Osigwe observed that despite the growing volume of commercial activities on the continent, many disputes arising from African transactions continue to be resolved outside Africa.

He maintained that Africa possesses the expertise, institutions and human resources needed to handle complex commercial disputes.

“The world needs to know that there are fantastic men and women, highly cerebral men and women, who can resolve commercial disputes arising out of Africa here on the continent,” he said.

The NBA President urged stakeholders to promote Africa not merely as a source of commercial disputes but as a credible destination for resolving them.

According to him, Africa cannot shape the global conversation on international commercial dispute resolution if it continues to export disputes while importing solutions.

He called on participants to highlight the continent’s achievements in arbitration, legal reforms and judicial support for alternative dispute resolution, rather than focusing solely on its challenges.

Osigwe expressed optimism that the conference would deepen confidence in Africa’s arbitration institutions and showcase the continent’s capacity to resolve complex international disputes efficiently