The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, on Wednesday, received a delegation from the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and leading law firm, Templars, during a courtesy visit to his office at the Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja.
The engagement formed part of the LCIA’s strategic stakeholder engagements in Nigeria, aimed at strengthening international commercial arbitration and promoting Lagos as a leading hub for arbitration and dispute resolution.
In his remarks, the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, welcomed the delegation and expressed the Ministry’s readiness to explore areas of collaboration that would further strengthen the State’s arbitration and dispute resolution framework.
He noted that Lagos, as Nigeria’s foremost commercial centre, had a significant role to play in creating an enabling environment for the growth of international commercial arbitration.
Mr. Pedro, SAN, emphasized the importance of continuous professional development and knowledge-sharing among legal practitioners, particularly State Counsel, noting that greater exposure to international arbitration would enhance their capacity to effectively handle complex commercial disputes.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Director General of the LCIA, Mr. Kevin Nash, said the organisation was interested in developing stronger collaboration with lawyers in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
He noted that the partnership would create opportunities for State Counsel to gain greater exposure to international arbitration through professional engagement, training and knowledge exchange.
Mr. Nash also encouraged lawyers to embrace arbitration as an increasingly important component of legal practice, noting that practitioners should not shy away from the field because of its specialised nature.
He stressed the need for lawyers to build their capacity in arbitration and take advantage of opportunities to develop expertise in the area.
The discussions also explored practical areas of collaboration, with Directors of the Ministry’s core departments highlighting the importance of specialized training, professional development and knowledge exchange.
Reference was also made to possible exchange programmes to give selected State Counsel practical exposure to international arbitration and global best practices.
In his vote of thanks, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga, appreciated the LCIA and Templars delegations for the visit and expressed optimism that the engagement would lead to meaningful collaboration, particularly in strengthening the capacity development of State Counsel and advancing arbitration practice in Lagos.
The LCIA delegation was led by Mr. Kevin Nash and including Ms. Nania Owusu-Ankomah, Vice President of the LCIA Court and President of the African Users’ Council, and Mr. Jide Adesokan, Member of the African Users’ Council and Partner at Stephenson Harwood LLP, London. The Templars delegation, also led by Mr. Olufemi Oyewole, SAN, Partner, alongside Mr. Orji Uka, Managing Counsel, and Mr. Nosa Iyamu, Senior Associate.
