Legal practitioners have called for renewed strategic collaboration between Nigeria and the United Kingdom to advance cross-border legal practice, harness global opportunities, and address emerging challenges in a fast-evolving legal and commercial landscape.

This call was made at the 2025 British Nigeria Law Forum (BNLF) Nigeria Summit, held in Lagos, with the theme: “Strengthening Legal and Business Ties Between the UK and Nigeria: Navigating Opportunities and Challenges.”

The summit brought together top legal minds, policymakers, and stakeholders who discussed critical topics such as “Accessing International Markets and Building Your Legal Brand,” “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency in Legal Practice: Opportunities and Real-World Applications,” and “Developing Practical Strategies for UK-Nigeria Collaboration in Litigation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).”

Partner and Head of Sports, Entertainment and Technology (SET) Group at Olisa Agbakoba Legal, Beverley Agbakoba underscored the central role of collaboration in legal practice. “Collaboration is key. I would be nothing without collaboration,” she said, noting that effective partnerships occur not only vertically but also peer-to-peer.

She encouraged lawyers to build relationships, adding that lawyering is a relational career. According to her, it’s not just about law, it’s about people and trends.

Agbakoba highlighted arbitration and ADR as viable cross-border legal solutions due to their neutrality and flexibility, stressing the increasing representation of Nigerian professionals on international arbitration panels. She cited her experience as a FIFA mediator and her recent empanelment in Hong Kong as examples of how local expertise can translate into global influence.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Partner at Tayo Oyetibo LP, Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo, underscored the strategic value of international legal networks. “As lawyers, we’re problem solvers. Clients want solutions that go beyond the airport,” he said, adding that the ability to provide cross-border support is a strong value proposition.

He noted that legal collaboration also boosts capacity development. Citing past cases like the P&ID arbitration, Tayo-Oyetibo stressed how working with UK counterparts had improved local efficiency, especially in large-scale disputes involving discovery and document coordination.

While he acknowledged systemic challenges such as procedural delays and inadequate cost-recovery mechanisms in Nigeria’s legal system, he argued that collaboration remains essential, especially for enforcing foreign judgments and arbitral awards within Nigeria.

From the UK, Teniola Onabanjo of 3VB Barristers Chambers stressed the importance of technical excellence as a foundation for international practice.

BNLF Chair and Vice Chair Interview on Channels TV (2024

“Develop your technical skills written and oral. That is what keeps doors open,” she advised, adding that platforms like LinkedIn, legal forums, and mentorship schemes are crucial for building visibility and networks.

Onabanjo advocated institutional exchange programmes between the UK and Nigeria to foster mutual learning. She cited organisations like the Arbitration Academy and International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA), which facilitate placements for young African lawyers in top UK firms.

She also highlighted the potential for bilateral knowledge exchange in legal ethics, advocacy, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), emphasising that Nigerian legal practitioners have expertise that UK-based lawyers can also learn from particularly in arbitration.

Delivering the keynote address, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), traced the historical trajectory of legal practice alongside international trade, noting that globalisation and legal development have always gone hand-in-hand. “Legal practice has generally been tied to trade. As business crossed borders, so did law,” he said.

He highlighted how sovereignty and post-colonial resistance introduced barriers to globalisation in legal services, even as protocols like the WTO’s free movement of legal services attempted to liberalise practice globally.

“Countries like the U.S., China, and the U.K. have adopted various models of controlled integration, with local restrictions on the extent of foreign legal practice.

“In China, for instance, a Chinese lawyer working in a foreign law firm loses the right to practice local law. That’s the paradox of liberalisation: access versus autonomy,” Idigbe explained.

He stressed the need for Nigerian lawyers to be globally competitive and better prepared for transnational practice.

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN) described the summit’s theme as not only apt but timely.

He pointed to the transformative potential of technology, AI, and cross-border partnerships, while cautioning that regulatory gaps, enforcement issues, and professional mobility remain significant hurdles.

In his remarks, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Jonny Baxter applauded the BNLF for fostering meaningful collaboration.

“This event aligns with broader efforts across sectors where UK-Nigeria bonds create channels for reform, innovation, and economic growth,” he said.

Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, underscored the role of legal bridges in national development.

“No nation can succeed without the law. Every economic, social, or technological advancement begins from a place of legal certainty,” she said.

Salu-Hundeyin also pledged the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s readiness to collaborate with BNLF to enhance access to justice and judicial efficiency.

In his welcome address, BNLF Chair, Kash Balogun reflected on the Forum’s founding vision over two decades ago to create a platform that connects Nigerian and UK legal professionals beyond ceremonial gatherings.

“This isn’t just about hosting an event. It’s about fostering real, respectful, and enduring professional ties that lead to opportunity for joint ventures, arbitration collaboration, and legal solutions grounded in our shared systems,” Balogun said.

The two-day summit extravaganza ended with a colourful gala dinner. The BNLF vice-chair, Genevieve Wakeley-Jones, set the tone of the evening with her welcome speech, in which she called the summit a celebration as well as a moment of reflection.

Wakeley-Jones’ insights were more fully echoed by Kash Balogun, the Chair of the body, as he summed up the events of the two-days. He said it was about exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions and reimagining a future of shared responsibilities and benefits based on shared values.

The summit, he added, further reinforced the inescapable fact that meaningful future progress in this ecosystem would rest on the twin pillars of collaboration and inclusion.

THE GUARDIAN reports that he said that going forward, the BNLF’s renewed engagement with its Nigerian component would take the following three forms: regular in-person events like the just-concluded summit; robust investments in the coming generation of legal practitioners; and placements in law firms and industries at home and abroad, as well as online engagements such as webinars.

“We will not just share knowledge, we will shape outcomes,” Balogun said.

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