News & Insights

Arbitral awards are binding once issued, but enforcement in Nigeria turns less on finality than on timing. Courts assess enforcement through the statutory sequence that governs post-award supervision, including the set-aside window. This note examines when an award is procedurally ripe for enforcement, how Nigerian courts approach premature applications, and how enforcement strategy and disciplined sequencing can reduce avoidable procedural risk.

The Legal Practitioners Bill 2025 has prompted closer attention to who may appear as counsel in Nigerian-seated arbitrations. While the Bill is not law, it raises questions about how counsel participation may later be characterised if arbitral procedure comes under scrutiny at set-aside or enforcement stage. This note explains where the emerging risk sits and how careful structuring of roles at the outset can reduce avoidable friction later.