CIARB NIGERIA CORPORATE COUNSEL GROUP HOLDS PARLEYS IN LAGOS, ABUJA

CICC Hosts Landmark Strategic Dialogues on Arbitration, Business Risk Management and Dispute Prevention
The Corporate & In-House Counsel Committee (CICC) of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Nigeria Branch) successfully convened two high-level stakeholder engagements in Abuja and Lagos on 13 and 14 October 2026, respectively, bringing together leading in-house counsel, legal practitioners, arbitrators, business executives, policymakers and judicial stakeholders to examine how businesses can better manage risk, prevent disputes and achieve commercially sustainable outcomes.

Held under the leadership of Dr Adenike Esan, PhD, FCIArb, Chair of CICC, and with the support of Mrs Olusola Adegbonmire, C.Arb, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Nigeria Branch), the dialogues reinforced CICC’s commitment to amplifying the voice of corporate and in-house counsel in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution while promoting practical, business-focused approaches to dispute prevention and resolution.

The back-to-back events explored two closely connected themes: “Arbitration That Works: Making Arbitration Work – From User Expectations to Commercial Outcomes” in Abuja and “The Business of Risk: Managing Legal Risk, Preventing Disputes and Delivering Value” in Lagos.

Abuja Dialogue: Making Arbitration Work for Commercial Users
The Abuja Arbitration Breakfast Dialogue focused on how arbitration can better meet the expectations of commercial users and contribute to Nigeria’s aspiration of becoming a preferred arbitral seat.

The opening fireside conversation with Mrs. Adesua Dozie, General Counsel & Company Secretary of NNPC Limited, was expertly moderated by Mrs. Oyinlola Adebayo, FCIArb, FCIS, Company Secretary of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). Through a skilfully curated discussion, the session explored the expectations of corporate users of arbitration, the importance of aligning dispute resolution processes with business objectives, and the measures needed to ensure arbitration delivers efficiency, predictability and commercial value for organisations operating across Africa.

A strategic panel session examined the theme “Positioning Nigeria as a Preferred Seat: Judicial Support, Institutional Rigour and Enforcement Dynamics.” The session was moderated by Ms. Chinenye Onyemaizu, Managing Partner, Lex Luminar, and featured distinguished panelists:
Hon. Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, JCA, Justice of the Court of Appeal;
Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN, CON, Chairman, Nigeria Chambers of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre (NCC-DRC);
Mr. Terlumun George-Maria Tyendezwa, CFE, Director, Legal Services, Ministry of Petroleum Resources;
Ms. Hadeezah Abdulrasheed, Group Head, Legal Advisory & Documentation, Jaiz Bank Plc; and
Mrs. Maimuna Lami Gogo Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation & Public Law, Federal Ministry of Justice.

An interactive audience conversation and open-mic session on “Making Arbitration Work: From User Expectations to Commercial Outcomes” was facilitated by Mrs. Perenami Momodu, FCIArb, International Arbitration Consultant and Head of Africa Practice, Gateley Plc, and Mr. Oladapo Ademola, Partner, Advocaat Law Practice.

Discussions in Abuja underscored the importance of aligning arbitral practice with commercial realities. Participants emphasized that arbitration should ultimately be judged not merely by legal success but by its ability to preserve business relationships, provide certainty, control costs and support commercial objectives. The role of judicial support, effective enforcement mechanisms, institutional strength and strategic policy implementation was identified as critical to enhancing confidence in Nigeria’s arbitration ecosystem.

The Dialogue was further enriched by the presence and active participation of key leaders within the arbitration community, including Mrs. Rosemary Obiageli Nwosu, FCIArb, Chair of the CIArb Nigeria Abuja Chapter, and Dr. Chikwendu Madumere, C.Arb, CIArb Africa Trustee, both of whom welcomed participants and contributed valuable perspectives during the discussions.

Lagos Dialogue: Managing Risk Before Disputes Arise
Building on the themes explored in Abuja, the Lagos Strategic Dialogue focused on how organisations can proactively manage legal and commercial risk to prevent disputes and create long-term value.
Convened by CICC in strategic partnership with Stren & Blan Partners, the Dialogue brought together corporate counsel, business leaders, project professionals and arbitration practitioners to examine risk management across major commercial projects.

The opening conversation featured Mr. Rotimi Odusola, FCIOD, Corporate Relations & Legal Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, who delivered insights on “The Future of Business Risk: Opportunities, Challenges and the Evolving Role of In-House Counsel.” He explored how modern in-house counsel must move beyond traditional legal advisory functions to become strategic partners in business decision-making, innovation and value creation.

The panel session, moderated by Mrs Iretioluwa Banjo, Head of Legal, Corporate Affairs & Company Secretary, Superflux International Limited, examined “Inside Major Projects: Investment, Risk and Dispute Lessons from Infrastructure, Construction and Real Estate.”
The panel featured:

Mr Amala Umeike, Founding Partner, Stren & Blan Partners;
Mr Emmanuel Dike, Construction Law Expert and Principal Partner, Jasmine Advocates;
Mr Bolaji Olojo, Deputy Managing Director, IGPES Group;
Mrs Omonigho Brown, Head of Contract Management, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc; and
Mrs Abiola Tella, Group General Counsel & Head of Legal, Churchgate Group.
The interactive session and open-mic discussion on “The Arbitration Before the Arbitration: Getting It Right from Day One” was facilitated by Mrs Tochukwu Amaefule, FCIArb, Senior Associate, Stren & Blan Partners, and Mrs Chinwe Odigboegwu, FCIArb, Executive Head, Legal & Regulatory Affairs, ATC Nigeria.

Participants examined risk allocation, investment decisions, contract management, project governance and early dispute prevention strategies. Discussions highlighted the importance of involving legal teams from project conception through implementation, ensuring effective risk identification and allocation, and adopting dispute resolution mechanisms that preserve commercial relationships while managing conflicts efficiently.

Common Themes and Key Insights
Across both dialogues, a clear and consistent message emerged: effective dispute resolution begins long before a dispute arises.

Participants agreed that:

In-house counsel must increasingly function as strategic business partners and risk advisers rather than solely compliance professionals;

Commercial success depends on the early identification, assessment and management of legal and business risks;

Effective dispute prevention requires deliberate planning, sound project structuring and proactive stakeholder engagement;

Arbitration and ADR mechanisms are most valuable when they deliver practical commercial outcomes, preserve relationships and minimise business disruption;

Strong institutions, judicial support and efficient enforcement frameworks remain essential to the growth of Nigeria as a credible arbitration hub; and

Collaboration among in-house counsel, external counsel, arbitrators, business leaders and policy makers is critical to building a more effective dispute resolution ecosystem.

In her closing remarks, Dr Esan, FCIArb, thanked all speakers, moderators, facilitators, participants and strategic partners who contributed to the success of both Dialogues. She gave special recognition to Mr Amala Umeike, Founding Partner of Stren & Blan Partners, for the firm’s support as Strategic Partner and Exclusive Sponsor of the Lagos Dialogue. She noted that the partnership reflected a shared commitment to advancing meaningful conversations at the intersection of business, risk management and arbitration. In response, Mr Umeike reaffirmed Stren & Blan Partners’ commitment to supporting the initiative and expressed the firm’s desire to continue partnering with CICC on future editions of the Dialogue as the platform grows from year to year.

Also speaking on the significance of the engagements, Mrs Adegbonmire, C.Arb, Chair of Ciarb Nigeria Branch, commended the dialogues for advancing meaningful conversations on arbitration, dispute prevention and commercial dispute resolution in Nigeria.

The two events form part of CICC’s broader efforts to strengthen engagement between corporate and in-house counsel and the wider arbitration community, while promoting practical, commercially focused approaches to risk management, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution.

Leave a Reply