Confirmed Speakers
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- Confirmed Speakers
Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour SAN
Lawyer and Arbitrator (British Chevening Scholar)
MRS. ADEDOYIN OYINKAN RHODES-VIVOUR SAN C.ARB
Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, lawyer and arbitrator (British Chevening Scholar) is a Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) with Over 40 years’ experience in legal practice.
She is a Notary Public of Nigeria called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981. She is a Senior Advocate
of Nigeria. She is a Past Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators [CIArb] Nigeria Branch.
Over the past 40 years she has acquired very significant experience in arbitration. She is recognized in various publications including Expert Guides, Who is Who Legal and Women in Business Law (Commercial Arbitration) as a top commercial Arbitration Practitioner. She was a member of the ICC Paris International Court of Arbitration having served two terms. She is a member of the World Bank Group Sanctions Board. She is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of various International Arbitration
Institutions including the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes [ICSID], Singapore International Arbitration Centre [SIAC], Dubai International Arbitration Centre [DIAC], Kigali International Arbitration Centre [KIAC], International Centre for Dispute Resolution [ICDR], Nairobi International Arbitration Centre [NIAC], Asian International Arbitration Centre [AIAC], Shenzhen Court
of International Arbitration [SCIA], Arbitration Foundation of South Africa [AFSA] and the Lagos Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration [RCICA]
She has arbitrated disputes in various sections including Energy and Natural resources, Construction
and Infrastructural projects, Banking and Finance, Maritime, Labour and Telecommunications.
She has written several articles on Arbitration/ADR and regularly delivers papers at international and domestic conferences and training events. She is an approved tutor for the CIArb. She is the author of the book titled: ‘Commercial Arbitration Law and Practice in Nigeria through the Cases’ Published by LexisNexis. She is a member of the ArbitralWomen and serves on the Steering Committee of the Era Pledge.
Agada Elachi, SAN Ph.D.
Founding Partner, Greenfield Chambers
Agada Elachi, SAN Ph.D.
Agada Elachi is a practicing lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He holds a doctorate in Terrorism, Mediation, and Peace (U.S.A.), a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies (M.A.), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.). Agada specialises in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), with a focus on mediation and arbitration, and is a fellow of several professional bodies.
As a mediator, Agada has handled disputes in banking and finance, inheritance and testamentary issues, and family mediation. His arbitration experience spans defence contracts, power and energy contracts, construction, oil and gas, environmental preservation, financial matters, transport management, and real estate.
He serves on the panel of neutrals for several organisations and is a member of the Permanent Court at the Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute. Additionally, he sits on the Governing Council of the Edo State Multi-Door Courthouse.
Agada enjoys reading, writing, and sports, and is a member of the IBB Golf and Country Club, Abuja. He is happily married to Rosemary, and they have four lovely children.
Aisha Abdallah
Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution, ALN Kenya
Aisha Abdallah
Aisha is a Partner at ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna where she heads the regional Dispute Resolution department. She has substantial experience in complex, high value cross border disputes and is dual qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Solicitor of England and Wales.
Aisha was nominated by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce to the board of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration in 2021. Her other appointments include head of the governing council of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and as a member of its Proceeding Committee. She is also on the AFSA panel of arbitrators and is a member of the Africa Users Group for the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, the African Arbitration Association and the Delos Board of Advisors. Aisha was also the lead author of the Kenyan chapter of the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th editions of the International Arbitration Review.
Aisha is rated and recognized by both Chambers Global and Legal 500 for her work. She is the first female and second African lawyer to be admitted to the International Association for Defence Counsel, an invitation-only group of distinguished litigation counsel.
Hon. Justice Amina Augie, CFR
Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, 2016-2023.
Hon. Justice Amina Augie CFR
Justice Amina Augie, CFR, is a respected figure in Nigeria’s judiciary. Born on September 3 1953 in Lagos, she earned her LLB from the University of Ife and her LLM from the University of Lagos. She began her career at the Sokoto State Legal Aid Council and taught at Ahmadu Bello University and the Nigerian Law School.
In 1988, she became a Chief Magistrate in Sokoto State, moving to the High Court in 1992 and the Court of Appeal in 2002. She chaired significant tribunals, including the Recovery of Public Properties Tribunal and the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Tribunal.
Appointed to the Supreme Court on November 7 2016, Justice Augie became the sixth woman to hold this position. She retired on September 3 2023, reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Throughout her career, Justice Augie received numerous accolades, including the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and the Commander of the Order of the Niger. Her judicial work and academic contributions have profoundly impacted Nigeria’s legal system, particularly in human rights and arbitration. Justice Augie’s dedication to the law and education has left a lasting legacy in Nigeria’s courts.
Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN.
Managing Partner, S.P.A. Ajibade & Co.
Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN
Dr Babatunde Ajibade is the managing partner of S.P.A. Ajibade & Co, a leading corporate and commercial law firm with offices in Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja, Nigeria.
He is a dispute resolution specialist and has substantial expertise in various aspects of commercial litigation and international commercial arbitration. He has acted as counsel in both ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings and also sits as an arbitrator.
He is the Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association’s Section on Public and Professional Interest, a Vice-President of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Arbitration Commission’s Steering Committee, a member of the ICC’s Africa Commission, a Director of ICC Nigeria, a Director of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC), a member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA) and a member of the African Arbitration Association. He is the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Dr. Ajibade was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. He obtained a LLM degree in corporate and commercial law in 1990 and a PhD in private international law in 1996, both from King’s College London. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in December 2007. He was awarded the International Practice Fellowship of the International Bar Association in Madrid in October 2009 and became a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK in January 2015.
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK, heads the Disputes Practice Group at ALN Nigeria-Aluko & Oyebode. He regularly acts as counsel to Nigerian as well as foreign and multinational clients in Ad Hoc and institutional arbitrations, and has served as arbitrator in several cases, including arbitrations administered by the ICC and the LCIA. Mr Fagbohunlu has also served on the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Committee on the Reform and Harmonization of Arbitration/ADR Laws. He co-authored the book “Arbitration in Africa: A Review of Key Jurisdictions” published by Sweet and Maxwell in 2016. He has served on the Court of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and on the Board of Directors of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC).
Chief Bayo Ojo SAN
Chief Bayo Ojo
Bayo Ojo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978 after graduating from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. He obtained LL.M from the London School of Economics, University of London in 1982 and later got admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He is a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and past Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria Branch. Ojo was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) Geneva Switzerland, Council member of the Section on Energy and Natural Resources Law of the International Bar Association, a member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators, Washington, DC, a member of the Panel of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Hague, Netherlands, Alternate Chairman of UNESCO Appeals Board in Paris, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators London, President of the African Users’ Council of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and President of the African Arbitration Association. He is an expert member of the Chinese International Commercial Court (CICC) and the Board of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA). He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian Journal of Arbitration and Mediation (NJAM) and African Journal of Arbitration and Mediation (AJAM). He is the co-author of The Handbook of Arbitration and ADR Practice in Nigeria.
Charles Adeyemi Candide-Johnson SAN
Senior Partner, Strachan Partners
Charles Adeyemi Candide-Johnson, SAN
Charles Adeyemi Candide-Johnson SAN is the Senior Partner at Strachan Partners. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1984 and obtained his LLM degree from the University of London in 1985. He worked for six years with Jon B. Majiyagbe SAN before founding Strachan Partners in Lagos. In 1988, he was appointed as a Notary Public for Nigeria and was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2003.
Yemi is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of England (FCIArb) and an approved examiner for the Institute. He is also an Honorary Fellow at the Centre for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria, and a supporting member of the London Maritime Arbitration Association. He is a past Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Section on Business Law, former President of the Lagos Court of Arbitration, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company.
Yemi co-authored the book “Commercial Arbitration Law and International Practice in Nigeria,” which significantly contributes to arbitration practice in Nigeria and West Africa. He is continuously engaged as leading counsel in major commercial and public policy litigation across Nigerian courts. He has also served as counsel or arbitrator in several domestic and international commercial arbitrations across various industries.
Chioma S. Jack
Chioma S. jack
Chioma S. Jack is the Deputy Director and Registrar of the Rivers State Multi-Door Courthouse (RSMDC), where she manages case proceedings and handles various administrative duties. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2007 and holds an LLM in International Commercial Law from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Chioma serves as the Public Relations Officer of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb) Nigeria Branch. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) and the International Mediation Institute (IMI). She is also an Associate of the International Dispute Resolution Institute (IDRI) and a Neutral at RSMDC, the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce Dispute Resolution Center (NCC-DRC), and the ICMC Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Centre.
She has published journal articles on ADR and has been a resource person at various conferences. Chioma has also authored non-fiction books, which are available on Amazon and Bambooks. She enjoys dancing, reading, writing, music, movies, research, and learning new languages in her free time.
Daniel Ihueze
Senior Associate, Broderick Bozimo & Company
Daniel Ihueze.
Daniel Ihueze is a consummate professional known for his precise approach. With a broad background in dispute resolution, he assists clients in breach of contract, construction, and data security cases.
Daniel excels in resolving complex disputes and has extensive experience as counsel, arbitral secretary, and advisor on arbitration procedures. His expertise makes him a key figure in the field.
After graduating with honours from Abia State University, Daniel was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 2017. He is pursuing a master’s degree in International Dispute Resolution at Queen Mary University of London.
Daniel is a senior associate at Broderick Bozimo & Company, co-chairs the Lagos Court of Arbitration Young Arbitrators Network, serves as the Nigeria rapporteur for the ICCA Yearbook Publication, and is an active member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
His dedication to learning and sharing insights makes him a valuable asset in the arbitration community.
Daniel Wilmot
Daniel Wilmot
Daniel is a Partner in the specialist International Arbitration team at Stewarts, the UK’s largest disputes-only law firm.
He specialises in all forms of international arbitration, arbitration-related litigation before the English Courts and accepts arbitrator appointments. Reported judgments in his recent cases have developed English arbitration law.
Dan’s practice, experience and client-base are as global as they are diverse. He advises on disputes governed by multiple applicable laws, subject to various arbitral seats and involving many jurisdictions. He often works as co-counsel with clients’ existing advisers given Stewarts’ conflict-free status.
Recognised as an expert in disputes connected with Africa, Dan is known for representing local companies in dispute with multinational partners and financial institutions. Dan is similarly recognised for his expertise in oil & gas and construction disputes.
Fluent in English and French, Dan’s relevant activities have involved Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Botswana.
Recognised in Chambers (Global & UK), Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal as a “bright light in the arbitration world”: an “exceptional talent” and “savvy commercial lawyer” with “a good eye to strategy”, he also ranks in Legal 500’s exclusive Arbitration Powerlist of leading UK practitioners.
Duncan Bagshaw
Duncan Bagshaw
Duncan is a barrister and a partner and head of international arbitration at Howard Kennedy in London.
He acts in arbitrations and court proceedings for states, large corporates and entrepreneurial businesses in the energy, natural resources and power sectors, with a particular focus on Africa.
Duncan also sits as an arbitrator. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is the Vice-Chair of the ICC UK Arbitration Committee, a member of the ICC Commission and acts as the Registrar of the Scottish Arbitration Centre.
Efemena Iluezi-Ogbaudu
Efemena Iluezi-Ogbaudu
Efemena Iluezi-Ogbaudu is an International Arbitration Associate at Linklaters LLP in London. He is a dual-qualified lawyer in England & Wales and Nigeria with over seven years of experience in commercial litigation and international arbitration in Lagos and London. He specializes in oil and gas, lending and finance, intra-corporate and investor-state disputes. Efemena has represented clients in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations under major rules such as ICSID, ICC, and UNCITRAL, and has acted in arbitration-related court proceedings in Nigerian courts. He holds a Master of Laws in International Dispute Settlement (MIDS) from the Geneva Graduate Institute and the University of Geneva and is passionate about the growth of arbitration in Nigeria as evidenced by his roles at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre (LACIAC) and Nigeria Very Young Arbitration Practitioners (Nigeria VYAP).
Prof. Emilia Onyema
Professor of International Commercial Law. Director, SOAS Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Centre. Director, Onyema Arbitration Services
Prof. Emilia Onyema
Emilia Onyema is an independent arbitrator with extensive experience as presiding, co, and sole arbitrator, and serves as a legal expert witness in international arbitration. She is a Professor of International Commercial Law at SOAS University of London, where she teaches and publishes on international commercial arbitration, investment law, and commercial law globally. Qualified to practice law in Nigeria and as a Solicitor in England & Wales, she is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She convenes the SOAS Arbitration in Africa conference series, leads the SOAS Arbitration in Africa biennial survey research project, co-authored the African Promise, and founded the Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS). Emilia actively publishes and speaks on her research interests, with notable works including International Commercial Arbitration and the Arbitrator’s Contract (Routledge, 2010), Rethinking the Role of African National Courts in Arbitration (Kluwer, 2018), and various articles in respected journals.
Eunice Lumallas, Fciarb
EUNICE LUMALLAS, FCIArb
Trial Lawyer, International arbitrator and mediator; Kenya’s representative at the International Centre for Settlement of International Disputes (ICSID) Washington DC (2022-2026), Member Public Private Partnerships Petitions Committee (PPPPC), African Arbitration Association (AfAA) and Advocates Disciplinary Tribunal (ADT) and a Certified Mediator. Listed in several panels for Arbitration and mediation including the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration, The mediation and Arbitration Centre Mauritius, and Kigali Centre for International Arbitration in East Africa. Advocate of the High Court and partner at LAK Advocates (Lumallas, Achieng & Kavere Advocates), Tutor and Trainer of law and Alternative Dispute Resolution, a qualified Patent Agent, Commissioner for Oaths and a Notary Public and Chairperson of Women in Alternative Resolution (WADR) and Mother.
I believe in the absolute acknowledgement and utilization of skills and competences of African Dispute Resolvers and their participation at all levels globally in resolution of disputes.
Franca Ciambella
Franca Ciambella
Franca is a lawyer, negotiator, mediator, and advisor with over 20 years of experience. Based in Nigeria since 2023, she launched Raffles Mediation Chambers Ltd. in Lagos. Franca trained in mediation at McGill University, earning her B.Com., and furthered her training at the Singapore Mediation Centre. She has mediated various disputes, including cross-border M&A, shareholder disputes, commercial disputes, intellectual property, and cryptocurrency.
She holds law degrees from New York University (LL.M. in Business Law), National University of Singapore (LL.M. in International Comparative Law), and Université d’Ottawa (LL.L. Civil Law). Franca has worked at top-tier firms such as Norton Rose and Stikeman Elliott and served as General Counsel for Tyco International Ltd. in Asia. She is on the International Advisory Board of McGill University’s Faculty of Management and lectures at the Lagos Business School.
Franca was conferred the Sovereign Medal by Canada’s Governor General and has received multiple awards for professional excellence and societal contributions. She was born and raised in Montreal and has been a “Naija wife” for over 30 years.
Olufunke Adekoya SAN.
Independent Arbitrator and Litigation Consultant
Olufunke Adekoya SAN
‘Funke Adekoya SAN is an independent arbitrator and counsel specialising in arbitration disputes, particularly in infrastructure and construction, energy, and natural resources sectors, as well as other investment-related disputes.
A Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, she frequently serves as sole arbitrator, party-appointed arbitrator, or chair of arbitral panels. Her extensive experience includes handling commercial and investment disputes under ICSID, ICC, and LCIA rules, along with ad hoc proceedings under UNCITRAL Rules.
She is listed on the ICSID panel of arbitrators and serves on the Governing Board of ICCA. She is also a member of the International Commercial Expert Committee of the Supreme People’s Court of China. Additionally, she is a court member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), ArbitrateAD (Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre), and the Mauritius Arbitration Centre (MARC). She actively participates in the LCIA African Users Council and Nigeria’s ICC National Committee.
Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ajike Roberts LL.M, C.Arb.,FNICARB.
Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ajike Roberts LL.M, C.Arb.,FNICARB.
Funmi became a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria haven graduated top of her class both at the University of Ife, Ile Ife in 1981 and at the Nigerian Law School in 1982. She earned her Masters of laws degree also at the University of Ife, during which she was awarded the University of Ife Alumni Fellowship.
After lecturing at the faculty of law of Nigeria’s premier university, Funmi established and built of one of the leading value-driven female-owned legal and ADR law firms in Nigeria, Funmi Roberts & Co. Funmi, a Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (U.K), Fellow of the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (NICArb) and of the Institute of Construction Industry Arbitrators (ICIArb), is also a member of the Global Panel of Mediators of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution CEDR, (U.K). Funmi Roberts belongs to several ADR-related professional organizations such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), where she served in various capacities including being a member of the National Executive Council. Funmi belongs to the Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association, Guild of Adjudicators of Nigeria, Co-Chairman of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre and served on the Governing Board of the Oyo State Multidoor Courthouse till April, 2024.
In recognition of her dispute resolution expertise, Funmi Roberts serves on several dispute resolution platforms, includin Dispute Resolution Panel of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Regional Mediator (Africa) for t World Bank Group, Member of Global Mediation Panel of Ombudsman for UN Funds and Programmes United Nations, and of the ICC Arbitration and ADR Commission. Funmi Roberts was invited to join the ICC Court of Arbitration, headquartered in Paris
in May, 2024, an appointment that took effect on 1st July 2024.
Funmi was also recently appointed to serve as one of Nigeria’s representative on the Permannen Court of Arbitration at the Hague. She holds law degrees from New York University (LL.M. in Business Law), National University of Singapore (LL.M. in International Comparative Law), and Université d’Ottawa (LL.L. Civil Law). Franca has worked at top-tier firms such as Norton Rose and Stikeman Elliott and served as General Counsel for Tyco International Ltd. in Asia. She is on the International Advisory Board of McGill University’s Faculty of Management and lectures at the Lagos Business School.
Franca was conferred the Sovereign Medal by Canada’s Governor General and has received multiple awards for professional excellence and societal contributions. She was born and raised in Montreal and has been a “Naija wife” for over 30 years.
Godwin Omoaka SAN
Partner, Templars
Godwin Omoaka SAN
Godwin Omoaka SAN is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Practice Group at Templars in Lagos, Nigeria. He has over twenty years of active experience in domestic and international arbitration, mediation, and courtroom litigation. His expertise spans a wide range of disputes in the oil and gas industry, construction industry, taxation, anti-bribery, and corruption. Godwin has a stellar track record with strong trial capabilities in both litigation and arbitration. He excels in alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation, conciliation, and negotiation.
Recognised by major directories including The Legal 500, Chambers Global, and IFLR1000, Godwin is a leading arbitration practitioner in Nigeria. In 2019, he was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, equivalent to King’s Counsel. He currently serves as the President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) Nigeria. Godwin is also a Fellow of the Institute of Construction Arbitrators and the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, and he sits on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.
Hamid Abdulkareem
Counsel, Three Crowns
Hamid Abdulkareem.
Hamid Abdulkareem is Counsel in the London office of Three Crowns LLP. He has represented clients in arbitrations conducted under the ICSID, UNCITRAL, ICC and LCIA Rules, and in litigation before the Nigerian courts. He also sits as an arbitrator. Hamid is currently co-chair of the IBA Arbitration Committee’s Africa Group, having previously served as co-chair of the Insolvency and Arbitration Workgroup. Hamid is also co-chair of the ITA’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration’s Young Arbitrators’ Network. Hamid has been recognised by Who’s Who Legal as an “Arbitration Future Leader” and by the Africa Arbitration Academy as one of “Africa’s 30 Most Promising Arbitration Practitioners”.
Jide Adesokan
Jide Adesokan
Jide is a partner in Stephenson Harwood's international arbitration team and specialises in complex cross border international arbitration and litigation. His practice covers a broad range of sectors including various aspects of energy, banking, commodities. He has undertaken arbitrations and litigations arising out of petroleum agreements, share and asset purchase agreements as well as shareholder disputes.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Jide has particularly valuable insight in African disputes and is frequently involved in disputes of economic and strategic importance across Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia. He is dual-qualified as a barrister and solicitor in both England and Nigeria, and has worked in both jurisdictions.
Prior to joining Stephenson Harwood, Jide worked for two years at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, providing legal support to tribunal in disputes involving states and state entities.
Laura Alakija.
Independent Arbitrator and ADR Expert
Laura Alakija
Laura Alakija is an accomplished Independent Arbitrator and ADR expert with nearly two decades of post-call experience. She acquired approximately ten years of experience in transactions before pivoting to disputes. Her expertise bridges dispute resolution and commercial transactions, covering the hospitality, energy and natural resources, project finance, transport, infrastructure, and ICT sectors. She has acted in arbitrations and mediations under various rules, including ICC, RCICAL, LCA, and UNCITRAL.
Laura has contributed significantly to thought leadership in Africa, playing key roles in projects such as the Africa Arbitration Academy’s Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (published July 2022) and the AAA’s Protocol on Virtual Hearings in Africa (published April 2020).
Her contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including Arbitration Future Leaders (Partners) 2024 by Who’s Who Legal and being named among Africa’s 30 Most Promising Arbitrators 2022 by the Africa Arbitration Academy.
Earlier accolades include being honoured as one of Africa’s 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners 2020 by the Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA) and receiving the 40 under 40 Nigerian Rising Star 2019 award by the Nigerian Legal Awards.
Lauraine Darkwah, MCIArb
Lauraine Darkwah, MCIArb
Lauraine Darkwah, MCIArb is an Associate at Ghartey & Ghartey, a Leading Law Firm in Accra, Ghana and a Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) - where she has taught Media Law, Information Technology Law and Legal Environment of Business. She has garnered experience working on complex commercial and investment transactions and disputes involving domestic and multinational corporations.
Lauraine is an Assistant Editor of the African Journal of International Arbitration. She is the West African Representative for the Young Members Group of AfAA and a Technical Partner of the National ADR Society of Nigeria.
She obtained her LLB degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Ghana, and an LLM in International Business Law from Osgoode Hall Law School – York University, Canada.
She recently became a member of the Africa Users Council of the LCIA and obtained a Diploma in International Arbitration. She is an alumnus of the reputable Africa Arbitration Academy.
Leyou Tameru
Leyou Tameru
Leyou Tameru is the founder of I-Arb Africa and the Head of Arbitration at TWA & Partners LLP in Ethiopia. She serves as counsel and arbitrator in Africa-focused international arbitration matters. She regularly consults on international arbitration cases concerning African private and state-owned entities. She has advised governments and international government organisations on investment and policy matters. Leyou is a former Court Member, the first for Ethiopia. She is listed as an arbitrator in centres globally. Leyou has been recognised for her work and contribution to international arbitration. Most recently, she was named on the global list of GAR’s 45 under 45 leaders of their generation in international arbitration.
Marilyn Chinwe Eze
Marilyn Chinwe Eze
With close to 20 years’ experience in Corporate/Commercial legal practice in
Nigeria’s Energy Sector, Marilyn Eze has provided dispute resolution advisory including
Arbitration for Nigeria’s National Oil Company and its subsidiary for over 10 years. Prior
to that, she was GC for Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria GTE in 2013. She covered
the role of GC for NNPC Retail Ltd over extended periods. She is currently in the
management cadre of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. She has
been a CIArb member for 14 years including chairing Abuja Chapter’s YMG In 2016.
She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Conciliators and Mediators.
Marilyn is an Advisory Board Member for the Lagos Court of Arbitration- Young
Arbitrators Network. In 2020, she received African Arbitration Academy’s AYA award
as Africa’s 50 Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners. In 2022, as Ambassador
representing Abuja-Nigeria, her participation in the International Arbitration Lunch
Match program, saw the program being shortlisted by GAR awards for Equal
Representation in Arbitration Pledge. She is a Fellow (of London and Nigeria) and, a
Member of National Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretary and
Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), where she chairs the Institute’s Energy Sector Group.
She currently chairs CIArb Abuja Chapter’s Special Interest Group on Oil and Gas.
Marilyn is a member of IBA’s Arbitration and Energy Committees.
Miannaya Essien SAN.
Managing Partner, Principles Law Partnership
Miannaya Essien SAN.
Miannaya Essien SAN C.Arb is the managing partner and co-founder of Principles Law Partnership, with offices in Port Harcourt and Lagos, Nigeria. She earned her LLB from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and her LLM from the University of Lagos. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, she specialises in complex corporate and commercial dispute resolution, focusing on the oil and gas, finance, and insurance sectors.
Mia became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007. She is also a Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Ciarb), frequently serving as an arbitrator and expert on Nigerian law. She has held significant positions, including past chairperson of the Ciarb Port Harcourt Chapter and the Section on Legal Practice of the Nigerian Bar Association. She is a member of the International Law Association, Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, LCIA, ICCA, and the Lagos Court of Arbitration’s Board.
Mia lectures at the Nigerian Law School in Abuja and contributes to legal publications. She regularly speaks at seminars, workshops, and conferences, sharing her extensive expertise in law and arbitration. She also serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Stanbic-IBTC Bank and is involved with the Council of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association.
Naa Amorkor Amarteifio
Associate Partner at AB & David
Naa Amorkor Amarteifio
Naa Amorkor is an Associate Partner at AB & David, a leading law firm in Ghana and heads the ADR practice in the firm. She has extensive experience in commercial litigation and arbitration involving complex financial and construction issues. She has advised many companies on how to manage construction claims in Africa.
Amorkor is an alumnus of ILFA, during her term she was seconded to the London office of Hogan Lovells International LLP. At Hogan Lovells, she was involved in multiple disputes in the finance, hospitality and entertainment sectors. She is also an alumnus of the Africa Arbitration Academy.
She has held leadership positions in her arbitration career and currently serves as a Regional Representative of the Young International Arbitration Group of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA-YIAG). She is a Steering Committee member and Secretary of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Ghana Chapter. Amorkor is also the Secretary to the Executive Council of the Lagos Court of Arbitration Young Arbitrators Network (LCA-YAN). She is also a Delos Guide to Arbitration Places (GAP) reviewer for Ghana.
One of her passions is supporting SMEs and start-ups to manage their disputes to remain sustainable and profitable
Olasupo Shasore SAN
Senior Partner, ALP NG & Co.
Olasupo Shasore SAN
Olasupo Shasore is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a Senior Partner at ALP NG & Co. He has extensive experience in investor-state arbitration and is a leading African counsel with ICSID hearing experience and other investment-related disputes.
Shasore frequently serves as lead counsel in diverse commercial and public regulatory disputes. “Who’s Who Legal” refers to him as a ‘Seasoned Arbitrator and Strategic Litigator’.
He is a Fellow and Tutor of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, founding Vice President of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, and former President of the Lagos Court of Arbitration. He is an arbitrator at the Energy Disputes Arbitration Centre in Turkey and a pioneer member of The Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Shasore is a member of the London Court of International Arbitration Africa User Group, the Panel of Recognised International Market Experts (PRIME) and its Advisory Committee. He currently chairs the Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council (CWEIC) Nigeria Advisory Board and serves on the CWEIC International Advisory Board. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (RHS) UK.
Shasore is the author of several legal and history books, including “Sovereign Immunity in Nigeria,” “Commercial Law & Practice in Nigeria,” “Ministering Justice: Administration of Justice in Nigeria,” “A Platter of Gold: Making Nigeria,” “Possessed: The History of Law & Justice in the Crown Colony of Lagos,” and “The Loot & the Lost Kingdoms.”
Olatunde Busari, SAN, FCIS, FICIArb, C.Arb
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chartered Arbitrator, Chartered Secretary, CEDR Accredited Mediator, Notary Public
Olatunde Busari, SAN, FCIS, FICIArb, C.Arb
Mr. Olatunde Busari, SAN is a graduate of the University of Ife, Nigeria where he obtained his
Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science (B.Sc). He also obtained the Bachelors Degree (LL.B) in
Law from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and Masters’ Degree (LL.M) in Law from the
University of Lagos, Nigeria. He was called to the Nigerian Bar. He is a Notary Public and was
conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
Mr Busari, SAN is the Managing Partner of Akinwunmi & Busari LP and a member of the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA), International Bar Association (IBA), Pan African Law Union (PALU). He is
also a Fellow (FCIArb) and Past Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, U.K (Nigeria
Branch), Fellow (FCIS) and Past President of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and
Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Fellow (FICIArb) of the Chartered Institute of Construction
Industry Arbitrators and a Distinguished Fellow of the Professional Excellence Foundation of
Nigeria (DFPEFON). He was a Director in Trans Nigeria Assurance Co Ltd (1999-2001) and in
the Corporate Affairs Commission (2010-2011) and currently the Chairman of VFD Group Plc.
He is a practising domestic and international arbitrator and has acted as counsel in various
proceedings in the Nigerian Courts at various stages of legal proceedings. Such cases involve
disputes arising out of various areas of law including, International Finance and Investment Law,
Maritime, Admiralty, Oil & Gas, protection of Intellectual Property, Insolvency and Business
recovery, Commercial transactions and International investment, Debt Recovery, Employment
and professional negligence, Land transactions, negotiation, documentation and perfection of
transactions etc
Mr. Busari, SAN is a pioneer member of the Management Board of the Lagos Chamber of
Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC), a listed arbitrator with the Lagos Multi-
Door Courthouse, Nigerian Communication Commission Arbitration Scheme, Regional Centre for
International Commercial Arbitration, Lagos and the Kigali International Arbitration Centre
(KIAC), Rwanda. He is a member of the Governing Council of Kola Daisi University, Ibadan,
Oyo State. He was also a designated representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the
Arbitration Panel of the ICSID (International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes),
World Bank, Washington DC (July 2016-July 2022).
He served as the Special Assistant to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice between 2006 and 2007 and also between 2010 and 2011. He is a member
of the Ikeja Golf Club, Ikoyi Club 1938, Ibadan Polo Club and Metropolitan Club, Lagos.
Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji
Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria
Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji
Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji is the Administrative Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Lagos Judicial Division. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986 and appointed as a Judge on September 12 2002, serving in six states over his 21-year tenure.
Justice Faji has significant expertise in commercial law. He speaks frequently at seminars and conferences on arbitration and intellectual property and has attended training sessions in Nigeria, Botswana, Switzerland, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. In 2007, he became a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Justice Faji serves on the Advisory Board of Judges of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). He is a resource person for the UNODC on international maritime crime and speaks annually at the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime. He is also part of a team working on an African IP Benchbook for Judges in collaboration with WIPO and the United States Department of Justice.
Justice Faji is dedicated to improving arbitration and legal practices in Nigeria and internationally and is known for his eagerness to learn and share his insights. His experience makes him a valuable voice in discussions on aligning judicial expectations with current arbitration practices.
Hon. Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie
Justice of the Court of Appeal, 2014-2023.
Hon. Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie
Hon. Justice Oludotun Adebola Adefope-Okojie was born on 17th May 1953 in Lagos. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos in 1975 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976. She also holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of London.
She began her legal career during her National Youth Service year at the Ministry of Justice, Plateau State, and later joined the Ministry as a State Counsel. In 1978, she joined the Chambers of Gally Brown-Peterside, SAN, and in 1983, she founded the law firm Adefope & Co in Jos, Plateau State, where she practiced litigation and corporate law. In 1996, she was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State, serving in various divisions until her appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in March 2014. She served in the Kaduna and Owerri Divisions and retired in May 2023 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Justice Adefope-Okojie is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) (FCIArb) and a member of the International Dispute Resolution Institute (IDRI) and the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD).
She authored “Civil Litigation: A Quick Reference Guide to Substantive Law and Procedure,” with editions published in 2013, 2019, and 2022.
Omoruyi Edoigiawerie
Omoruyi Edoigiawerie
Omoruyi “Uyilaw” Edoigiawerie is the founder of Edoigiawerie and Company LP (EandC Legal). A leading Startup Attorney and Notary Public of Nigeria, he has extensive experience in Startup, technology, and innovation law, with expertise in artificial intelligence, and corporate commercial legal practice. Uyilaw’s expertise in tech and innovation law is borne out of a strong startup background, combined with a rare understanding of contemporary technology, the startup landscape in Nigeria and the African region, as well as international best practices.
Uyilaw holds graduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Lagos, he holds a Leadership Certification from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a certification in Artificial Intelligence and law from Politecnico Milano, Certificate in principled and persuasive Negotiation from the Yale School of Management and a double specialization in Legal Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland, USA.
Uyilaw served as a Member of the Policy and drafting Committee of the Landmark Nigeria Startup Act where he played a pivotal role and also doubled as an Ecosystem Advisor on the Nigeria Startup Act Project, he led the team that drafted the Model Startup Law for States to adopt across the country, and currently serves as the Chairman, Membership and Data Management Committee of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Lagos Branch.
Christened “the legal architect of Innovation in Nigeria who is redefining the startup legal landscape in Nigeria, by the Guardian Newspaper, Uyilaw is recognized as one of the leading Entrepreneurship and Startup lawyers in Nigeria and so far, he has helped establish over 1000 companies that remain gainfully in business and still count on his firm for expert support.
Patrick Turinawe
Perenami Momodu.
Consultant, Gateley Plc
Perenami Momodu.
Perenami is a Consultant in Gateley Plc’s International Arbitration Group and Head of Gateley’s Africa Practice. She previously served as a Partner at AELEX (Nigeria & Ghana) for four years. With over 14 years of experience in cross-border arbitration and litigation in West Africa, she handles high-stakes, complex cases.
She represents clients in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, retail, maritime, infrastructure, and foreign investments under institutional rules like LCIA, ICC, ICSID, and UNCITRAL. Currently, she is involved in complex arbitrations in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya related to post M&A transactions and also serves as arbitrator in domestic disputes.
Ranked as a National Leader in both Litigation and Arbitration by Who’s Who Legal: Nigeria, Perenami also advises on insolvency disputes. In 2019, she received a Special Recognition Award from Nigeria’s Vice President for her role in insolvency and business rescue reforms.
She is a member of the Disputes Resolution & Thematic Areas of the Nigerian National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable and a council member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Business Law. She also represents the ICC YAAF Africa Chapter.
Dr Sally El Sawah
Co-Founder and Head of Arbitration & Litigation, Junction. Founding Partner and Principal, El Sawah Law
Dr Sally El Sawah.
Dr Sally El Sawah is the Co-Founder and Head of Arbitration & Litigation at Junction, Paris and the Founder of El Sawah Law, Cairo. She is qualified in Egypt and France and is a Registered Foreign Lawyer with the SRA in England & Wales. She acts as an Arbitrator, Counsel, Consultant, and Legal Expert in both ad hoc and institutional arbitrations, including CRCICA, ICC, KIAC, NAC, and ICSID.
Dr El Sawah has been involved in over 100 high-profile cases and projects across Egypt and the EMEA region during her seventeen-year career in Paris, London, and Cairo. She has worked in reputable law firms and as an independent practitioner.
Oluwaseyilayo Ojo SAN
Senior Partner at S. O. & C. Legal
Oluwaseyilayo Ojo SAN
Oluwaseyilayo Ojo SAN is the Senior Partner at S. O. & C. Legal, a commercial law practice in Lagos. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Laws (International Business Law) from University College London. He also has IBA/College of Law diplomas in International Business Practice and a STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust Creation, Law, and Practice. He is a Chartered Arbitrator, a CEDR Accredited Mediator, and a Notary Public for Nigeria. He is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School.
His arbitration experience spans construction, company acquisition, telecommunications, oil and gas, trusts, real estate, and insurance. He joined the Approved Faculty List of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in 2009 and chairs the Training Sub-Committee of the Nigeria Branch. In this role, he oversees training, assessment, and examination of arbitration practitioners.
Seyilayo was a member of the Committee on the Review of the National Arbitration and Mediation Bill, which gained presidential assent in May 2023. He chaired the 2021 Ministerial Reconciliation Committee for the Nigeria Basketball Federation dispute, whose report was adopted and implemented by the Federal Government. An avid cyclist, he is the past Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Cycling Association and a former executive committee member of Cycology Cycling Club, Lagos.
Soibi Ovia
Partner, Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Soibi Ovia
Soibi is a Litigation and Dispute Resolution lawyer based in Lagos, Nigeria, where she heads the Dispute Resolution Practice Group at Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe. She specialises in Commercial Litigation, Civil Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation, and Crisis Management.
Her extensive experience spans sectors such as Telecommunications, Media & Technology, Banking & Finance, Energy & Natural Resources, Labour & Employment, Intellectual Property, and Real Estate. Soibi's expertise in Litigation, Arbitration, and Alternative Dispute Resolution has led her to represent clients in all Nigerian courts as well as in domestic and international arbitration proceedings.
Soibi prioritises her clients' commercial interests, balancing them with effective dispute resolution strategies. She is affiliated with the Nigerian Bar Association, the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association, and the International Bar Association. She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a Capital Market Consultant with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Recently, Soibi was recognised as a Global Law Expert and recommended attorney for Dispute Resolution in Nigeria for 2023. Her commitment to her clients and her field highlights her prominent standing in the legal community.
SOLA EPHRAIM- OLUWANUGA mni, FIod, ACIS,C.Arb,FCIArb,LL.M,BL
SOLA EPHRAIM- OLUWANUGA mni, FIod, ACIS,C.Arb,FCIArb,LL.M,BL
Sola Ephraim-Oluwanuga was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 and heads O.S Ephraim-Oluwanuga & Co, specialising in legal practice, arbitration, and notary services. He has served as an arbitrator in various roles, including presiding, sole, and party-appointed arbitrator. He was a foundation member of the Investments and Securities Tribunal in Nigeria.
Oluwanuga is a Fellow and Chartered Arbitrator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) UK. He is a member of the ICC Arbitration Commission and ICC Nomination Committee. He is also on the panels of arbitrators for the Kigali Arbitration Centre, Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA), and the Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse, and is a Fellow of the Society of Construction Law Arbitrators.
He is the former Chairman of CIArb (UK), Abuja Chapter, and serves as a faculty member and tutor for CIArb (UK). He organised the Ephraim Arbitration Day in 2019 and 2020, which led to the creation of the “Ephraim News” newsletter, addressing arbitration topics and solutions.