Nigeria: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

Nigeria's Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 fundamentally transforms the country's arbitration framework by codifying the seat of arbitration doctrine in alignment with international standards.

The Nigerian energy sector, particularly the oil and gas industry, is governed by a complex web of statutory, contractual, and institutional frameworks regulating the exploration, production, transportation, and commercialization of petroleum resources. Owing to the technical complexity of operations, the multiplicity of stakeholders, including the State, multinational oil companies, indigenous operators, regulators, and host communities, as well as the enormous economic interests involved, disputes are an inevitable feature of the sector.

The year 2025 recorded a number of important arbitration decisions by the Nigerian courts in the area of arbitration. These decisions demonstrate the pro- arbitration posture of the Nigerian courts, particularly the appellate courts.