ICC Africa summit to spotlight Nigeria’s push for global arbitration hub

Legal experts have posited that the forthcoming 10th International Chamber of Commerce Africa Conference on International Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution in Lagos is a major milestone in Africa’s growing influence within the global arbitration and dispute resolution community.

The conference, scheduled to be held from June 3 to 5, 2026, is expected to attract participants from more than 30 countries, including chief justices, attorneys-general, arbitration experts, business leaders and legal practitioners from across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos ahead of the conference, the Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria, Prof. Dorothy Ufot (SAN), said Africa had made significant strides in breaking into the global arbitration space after years of exclusion from the resolution of cross-border commercial and investment disputes.

The conference is themed: “A Decade of Excellence: Shaping the Future of International Arbitration and ADR in Africa”.

She stated that the event marked a celebration of “a decade of excellence” in Africa’s push to secure a place in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.

According to her, Africa had for many years been excluded from the resolution of disputes arising from investments and commercial activities taking place on the continent despite its enormous natural and economic resources.

“International arbitration is the preferred mechanism for resolving business and investment disputes,” she said. “Foreigners come here to do business, but when disputes arise, Africans are not chosen to participate in resolving those disputes.”

Ufot explained that Africa’s exclusion from international arbitration had long deprived the continent of significant economic opportunities, as disputes involving African businesses and resources were frequently resolved in foreign jurisdictions such as London, Paris and Singapore.

“The business is here, but when we want to resolve the dispute, we go elsewhere. We are losing money,” she stated.

She recalled that the first ICC Africa Conference on International Arbitration was held in Lagos in 2016, with Nigeria successfully hosting seven editions before the conference moved to Nairobi, Kenya, for the eighth and ninth editions.

According to Ufot, several African countries, including South Africa, Senegal and Mali, competed to host the 10th anniversary edition, but Nigeria was eventually selected by ICC headquarters in Paris because of its track record and consistency in organising successful conferences.

“The ICC headquarters in Paris decided that Nigeria has been tried and tested. All our conferences have been successful, so they chose us to host the 10th anniversary conference,” she said.

Prof. Ufot said the conference would provide an opportunity to reflect on Africa’s progress in international arbitration over the past decade and discuss future strategies for strengthening the continent’s position globally.

She disclosed that African arbitration practitioners are now receiving appointments from leading international arbitration institutions such as the ICC, the London Court of International Arbitration and the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.

“I recently got appointed as presiding arbitrator in an international arbitration involving parties from Russia and Ireland. That would never have happened before,” she revealed.

Ufot stressed that arbitration remained the preferred mechanism for resolving highly technical disputes in sectors such as oil and gas, infrastructure, construction and technology.

She explained that arbitration was founded on the principle of party autonomy, whereby parties voluntarily agree in advance that disputes arising from their contracts would be resolved outside conventional courts.

“Arbitration is by agreement. Without agreement, there can be no arbitration,” she said.

According to her, once parties sign an arbitration clause, they are bound to honour it, and courts generally compel parties back to arbitration if they attempt to bypass the agreement through litigation.

“The moment you sign that agreement, arbitration can never go wrong,” she said.

She contrasted arbitration with regular litigation, where dissatisfied parties may pursue appeals up to the Supreme Court, noting that arbitral awards are generally final and binding except in cases involving fraud, corruption or breaches of public policy.

According to her, some lawyers encourage clients to challenge arbitral awards unnecessarily despite knowing that the cases are weak.

“In Africa, we are very litigious. Instead of preparing the client to comply, some lawyers prepare them for another 15 years of litigation from the High Court to the Supreme Court,” she lamented.

She warned that arbitration was never intended to become “the first leg of litigation.”

The senior advocate commended Nigerian courts for increasingly imposing costs personally against lawyers who ignore arbitration clauses and file inappropriate court actions.

“Before now, costs were awarded only against clients. Today, lawyers who fail to advise their clients properly may personally pay costs,” she said.

The Co-chair of the conference, Mrs Jean Anishere (SAN), said Nigeria was determined to take its rightful place in international arbitration.

“Nigeria will take its rightful position on the path of dispute resolution and arbitration on the continent,” she said. “We are neck-deep into this arbitration thing, and we will not hesitate to show that we are up for it.”

Anishere praised Ufot for mentoring and positioning Nigerian practitioners for global recognition within the arbitration community.

One of the highlights of the conference will be a fireside chat featuring Claudia Salomon, President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, alongside business leaders and stakeholders.

Anishere noted that the conference would also feature the unveiling of the revised 2026 ICC Arbitration Rules, which she said were designed to reflect evolving global best practices in dispute resolution.

“ICC appreciates the fact that the world is evolving, so disputes also have to take into account an updated framework,” she explained.

She added that the conference would provide a platform for African countries to promote themselves as viable seats for international arbitration instead of relying solely on foreign jurisdictions such as London, Paris and Singapore.

Anishere explained that the conference would also feature interactive discussions with participants, networking sessions, a gala dinner and programmes organised by the ICC Youth Africa Chapter.

She noted that the conference comes at a critical time when African countries are modernising arbitration laws, improving judicial support and positioning themselves as viable seats for international arbitration.