The Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb) proudly hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Radisson Blu on Wednesday, 7th of August 2024, gathering its esteemed members and leading voices in alternative dispute resolution.
The meeting provided a comprehensive review of the Institute’s performance for 2023, highlighting the significant strides made in advancing arbitration practices in Nigeria and beyond. The narrative and financial reports, presented by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer and the auditors, underscored the Institute’s robust financial health and continued commitment to excellence.
A key highlight of the event was the inauguration of new Governing Council members. In a moment of great pride for the Institute, the distinguished President, Professor Fabian Ajogwu OFR, SAN, FCArb, was re-elected unopposed, reaffirming the trust and confidence of the members in his visionary leadership. His re-election, celebrated with grand acclaim, sets a promising tone for the future.
The reelected and newly elected members of the Governing Council (listed below) bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives to the Institute. We extend our best wishes for their tenure, and we are confident that they will continue to elevate NICArb’s reputation and influence in the arbitration community within Nigeria and beyond.
Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, OFR, SAN, FCArb
President /Chairman
Professor Fabian Ajogwu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Lagos Business School Professor of Corporate Governance. He holds advanced degrees in Law and Business from the University of Aberdeen, IESE Business School, and Nigerian universities.
He is the Founder of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria and the President of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. Professor Ajogwu has held prominent roles, including chairing key committees and serving on boards of major organisations like Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc.
His expertise spans Corporate Governance, Dispute Resolution, and various sectors including Energy, Telecommunications, and Financial Services. He has authored and co-authored numerous influential books on arbitration, maritime and shipping, and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s corporate governance frameworks and the development of arbitration/ADR practice.
Mr. D. D. Dodo, OFR, SAN, FNIALS, FCArb, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria with over 35 years of experience in law. Since 2001, he has been recognised for his leadership in high-profile litigations and arbitrations involving various legal sectors, including constitutional, commercial, and energy law. He is also a distinguished advisor in commercial and corporate law, specialising in regulatory issues related to energy, telecommunications, and privatisation.
Mr. Dodo has held significant roles, including Chairman of the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons. He is an independent non-executive director at SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc and a member of Taraba State Judicial Service Commission. The Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies acknowledged his contributions to the Nigerian legal system with a distinguished fellowship.
PROFESSOR TAIWO OSIPITAN, SAN, FCArb, is a Distinguished Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He is a well-accomplished legal practitioner with a career spanned over four decades. During this period, he has acted for diverse clients, including high-net-worth individuals, commercial banks, local and multinational companies, institutional investors, regulatory bodies, and government agencies.
Professor Osipitan’s expertise spans general commercial litigation, international arbitration, energy and construction law, insurance law, white-collar crime, election petitions, public law litigation, trial advocacy, and the Law of Evidence. His deep understanding of evidential issues and arbitral Proceedings makes him well-positioned to act as an Arbitrator in domestic and international arbitration (as a Sole Arbitrator and as part of a panel of Arbitrators).
Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN, FCArb, is the Founder & Managing Partner of Mike Igbokwe (SAN) & Co. He specialises in complex shipping, aviation, corporate, commercial, business recovery, insolvency, litigation, and arbitration matters. He drafted the Bill on Piracy and Unlawful Acts and other related offences at the instance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). He had assiduously worked on the drafting and the enactment of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, the first of its kind in promoting the indigenous shipping industry in Nigeria. He authored the most comprehensive book on cabotage titled, ‘Nigerian Maritime Cabotage Law and Policy: The Case and Advocacy.’
Mr. Omoruyi Omonuwa, OFR SAN, FCArb, is the Principal Counsel at O. A. Omonuwa (SAN) & Co. He is a leading legal practitioner in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Nigeria. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a former Attorney General of Edo State, and a former member of the August Body of Benchers.
He has over 33 years of extensive experience in dispute resolution, specialising as a top-notch advocate in arbitration and litigation. His expertise spans various legal areas, including Banking Law, Company Law, Property Law, Land Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Election Petitions, and the Law of Arbitration.
Mr. Jude Nnodum, OFR, SAN, FCArb, is an astute legal practitioner with over four decades of experience conducting complex contentious matters in various practice areas, including arbitration. He is highly regarded for his excellent written and oral advocacy.
In recognition for his excellence and contribution to the legal profession, he served as the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Imo State, and, in 2003; he was elevated to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is a distinguished fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb).
Mr. Adenipekun, SAN FCArb, has over 18 years of active legal practice. He is the Managing Partner of Afe Babalola & Co., where he coordinates the activities of all lawyers in the Chambers and is in charge of the firm’s general administration. He specialises in Company and Commercial Law and Practice, Land and Property Matters, International Law, and Appeals.
Adebayo has also acted as Counsel, Sole Arbitrator, and Party-Appointed Arbitrator in several Arbitrations and was appointed by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
Mrs. Priscilla Ogwemoh FCArb is the Managing Partner of Kevin Martin Ogwemoh Legal. She is one of the leading Women Mediators in the country. Priscilla is a Judge of the International Law Students’ Association Jessup Moot Court Competition and was recently appointed a panel member of the NBA Disciplinary Committee.
She has vast experience in alternative dispute resolution. She has been involved in national and international mediation and arbitration processes for over a decade, including the largest mediation settlement in Nigeria between the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and its laid-off workers. Mrs. Ogwemoh is accredited as a mediator by the UK Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR-UK). She is also a member of the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG), legal adviser to the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators.
Mrs. Shola Oshodi-John, MPPM, ChMC, FCArb the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NICArb. She is an Arbitrator and Mediator, a seasoned Editor, organiser and trainer, and has facilitated numerous training programs for professionals, states, and international organisations. She has overseen the induction of over 4,000 professionals into arbitration and ADR practice. Additionally, hosts NICArb’s annual international conference on arbitration/ADR, which attracts over 3,000 participants.
She frequently speaks at international and national conferences on arbitration and ADR. In addition to serving as a member of the Disputes Resolution & Thematic Area of the Nigerian National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable, and the National Arbitration Policy Stakeholder Committee. She is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb), an Advisory Board Member of the Institute of Transnational Arbitration (ITA), and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ChMC). She is also a member of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Groups II and III.
Mr. Uche Val Obi, SAN, FCArb is a seasoned legal practitioner with extensive experience in various legal and professional roles. He served as Chairman of the Capital Market Solicitors Association (CMSA) from 2015 to 2023 and was the founding Chairman of the International Trade Law (ITL) Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
He currently chairs the Data Privacy Academy Nigeria and is affiliated with the International Bar Association (IBA) and the African Institute of Exporters and Importers (AIEN). As the pioneer Nigerian legal coordinator for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Emerging Capital Markets Task Force Initiatives (ECMTFI), Mr. Obi led a team that collaborated closely with foreign lawyers from the Law Society of England and Wales. His contributions to the IMF/World Bank on Doing Business in Nigeria have been significant.
Mr. Obi is a Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) certified by the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants, Delaware, USA. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (FCArb) and a member of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Prof. Damilola Olawuyi, SAN, FCArb is an international lawyer, professor of law, arbitrator, author, and policy consultant, with expertise in petroleum, energy, and environmental law. A prolific and highly regarded scholar, Professor Olawuyi has published several articles, books, and reports on energy, environment, and natural resources law, including ENVIRONMENTAL LAW IN ARAB STATES (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2022), which received the 2023 American Society of International Law (ASIL) Certificate of Merit for High Technical Craftmanship and Utility to Practicing Lawyers. He was formerly an international energy lawyer at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, serving on the firm’s global committee on energy investments in Africa. He has served as a consultant to the United Nations, the World Bank, and the UK’s Department for International Department, among others.
Hon. Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu JCA, FCArb (Rtd) is a highly esteemed jurist with a distinguished career spanning over four decades. She was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Justice in Delta State, a position she held with distinction for seventeen years. Her judicial excellence was recognised in August 2010 when she was elevated to the Federal Court of Appeal of Nigeria. She is also a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb).
Dr. Francis Ohiwere Oleghe, FCArb
General Sectary /Legal Adviser
Dr. Francis Oleghe is a distinguished legal practitioner called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators and serves as a mediator on the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse Panel of Neutrals. Dr. Oleghe has authored and co-authored over 30 academic articles on alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Notably, one of his co-authored articles, “Damages Awards in International Investment Arbitration and the Question of Fair Compensation,” derived from his MPhil Dissertation, was indexed by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) in 2023 for its relevance to their work.
In addition to his academic contributions, Dr. Oleghe is an active participant in the UNCITRAL Working Groups II and III, where he has made significant contributions to their deliberations. He is also an experienced Alternative Dispute Resolution trainer and serves as a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators faculty.
Mr. Rafiu A. Lawal-Rabana, SAN, FCArb is the Chief Counsel at R.A. Lawal-Rabana & Co. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1983, became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2008, and was appointed a Life Bencher in 2011. He has participated in various law review teams and panels of inquiry. He served as the General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (National, 2006-2008), Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin Branch, and has been involved in various committees of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was a member of the Federal Judicial Service Commission from 2008 to 2013 and served on the Body of Benchers Disciplinary Committee from 2009 to 2015. Mr Lawal-Rabana, SAN, is also a member of several professional bodies, such as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb). He has handled very contentious cases up to the Supreme Court.
Chief Sebastine Tartenger Hon, SAN, FCArb, is an astute and relentless writer, author and public affairs commentator. He was appointed as a Member of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Special Appeals Committee (2014), Appointed Member of the Advisory Committee on the Bayelsa State High Court Rules, Chairman (and later Consultant), of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch (2012-2014); Alternate Chairman (National NBA), Editorial Board, Nigerian Bar Association (2012-2014), etc.
In recognition of his sterling contributions to the development of the law generally and to the several legal victories secured by the Rivers State Government through several Courts of Law, including the Supreme Court of Nigeria, he was honoured by the then Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, with the title “Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State, (DSSRS), in December 2022. Chief Hon is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators.
Mrs. Rosecana Galadinma Ankama, FCArb, is a lecturer in the Department of Legal Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic and an accomplished ADR specialist focusing on arbitration, mediation, and negotiation. Rosecana handles various disputes, including workplace, family, property, and breach of contract issues, and hosts conflict resolution talk shows on Liberty Radio, organised by the House of Justice in Kaduna State.
She is a distinguished Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, a Notary Public, and a listed arbitrator/mediator with the Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse. She serves as the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, Kaduna State Branch. In addition to her roles as an ADR expert, she is a seasoned trainer and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators faculty.
Engineer Kashim Abdul Alli, FCArb, has held several high-level national positions, contributing his expertise across various sectors. He has also been involved in national policy development as a member of the Nigeria Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) Committee and the Vision 2020 Steering Committee. Additionally, he served as Co-Chair of the Infrastructure Policy Commission of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and as Special Adviser (Utilities) to the FCT Minister.
He is a Registered Engineer and Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). His contributions to the engineering sector have been recognised with the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) Presidential Gold Medal. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, emphasising his expertise in alternative dispute resolution in engineering.
NICArb remains committed to fostering the highest standards of arbitration practice in Nigeria and across Africa. We look forward to a year of continued growth and success under this renewed leadership.
