Hon. Justice Aisha Mohammed Usman, born on 21 December 1962 in Jos, is the first female Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, appointed in 2020. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, she has held several pioneering positions, including Director of Public Prosecutions, the first female Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, and Clerk of the State House of Assembly. Renowned for her transformative leadership, she has driven the digitalisation and modernisation of the Nasarawa State Judiciary to global standards. Justice Usman is an active member of numerous legal associations and is married.

Prof. Bankole Adekunle Akintoye Sodipo, SAN, FCArb, is a professor of law and former dean of the School of Law and Security Studies at Babcock University, Nigeria. A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators and member of the ICC Arbitration and ADR Commission, he serves as counsel, mediator, and arbitrator in complex commercial disputes. He convenes the African Arbitration Day Conference in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. His research and teaching focus on arbitration, mediation, intellectual property, and energy law, with visiting fellowships at Queen Mary University and BIICL.

James Clanchy, FCIArb, is a full-time arbitrator and an associate member of Six Pump Court chambers in London. He is a Full Member of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA) and was its Honorary Secretary 2021 - 2022. A solicitor in England & Wales (admitted 1990, non-practising since 2019), James was also an avocat at the Paris bar 1994 - 2008. He spent 20 years as a commercial disputes lawyer with Withers, Holman Fenwick Willan, and Stephenson Harwood. He was the Registrar and Deputy Director-General of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) from 2008 to 2012.

Ishaka Mudi Dikko, SAN, is the Principal Partner at M.I. Dikko & Associates. He has appeared in numerous cases before Nigeria's Superior Courts of Record, with several reported judgments to his credit. He holds an LL.B from Ahmadu Bello University, an LL.M, and a B.L from the Nigerian Law School. Elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2018, he achieved this distinction within 12 years of call. His practice areas include corporate law, constitutional law, election petitions, and criminal litigation. He is a member of the NBA, AFBA, IBA, and CILRM, and has held leadership roles in the NBA Lafia Branch.

Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, SAN, is a distinguished scholar and practitioner of energy law and policy. She served as Attorney General of Edo State (2017–2020) and Legal Adviser to the NNPC (2009–2011). Prof. Omorogbe founded EtinPower Limited, a clean energy company. A Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow (2021), she has contributed to major petroleum reforms and is President of the Nigerian Society of International Law. She is a Fellow of several notable professional institutes and has taught at the Universities of Benin, Lagos, and Ibadan.

Engr. Dr. Felicia Nnenna Agubata, Ph.D, FNSE, is a distinguished Electrical and Electronics Engineer and Deputy General Manager at Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). A Fellow and Vice President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, she is the 15th President of APWEN and a UN-UNITAR Global Diplomacy Fellow (Class of 2024). She leads the SheEngineer initiative, empowering girls across Nigeria through scholarships and science labs. A multi-award-winning professional, she has received recognitions from NSE, NIWE, and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Celebrated globally as one of 2025’s Ascent 100 Top Career Women in Africa.

Dr. Joseph Adebola Tolorunse, PhD, is a distinguished legal expert with over three decades of experience in Nigeria's oil and gas industry. He serves as Authority Secretary and Legal Adviser to the Board of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). He has led major regulatory reforms and contributed to landmark legislation, including the Deep Offshore Act Amendment (2019). A Dundee-trained scholar, Dr. Tolorunse is globally recognised for his expertise in petroleum law, governance, and dispute resolution.

Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma is a seasoned lawyer, accomplished entrepreneur, and Group Managing Director of the Nepal Group of Companies, with interests in oil and gas, logistics, manufacturing, power, and agriculture. A Harvard Business School alumna, she has served on numerous corporate boards and leads several subsidiaries including Nepal Energies and Quest Shipping. She holds multiple law degrees from the University of Lagos. A celebrated philanthropist, she founded the Pa. Anyaso Skill Acquisition Centre and the Ngozi Ekeoma Foundation, empowering thousands through training and scholarships.

Rosemary Egabor-Afolahan is the Director of Commercial and Communications at News Central, where she drives strategic marketing, brand visibility, and audience-focused communication initiatives. With experience across Banking, Marketing Communications, Digital Media, and the Oil & Gas sector, she has significantly strengthened News Central TV's commercial positioning. She previously served as Head of Business Development, Market Strategy, and Sales before assuming her current leadership role. Rosemary holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Covenant University and a Master's in Media and Communications from Pan-Atlantic University. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), UK.

Ahmed Abdel-Hakam is a Partner at Volterra Fietta in London, a Solicitor-Advocate before the Higher Courts of England & Wales, and a French Avocat. He serves on the Dispute Resolution Committee of the Law Society of England & Wales and co-chairs the Dispute Resolution Section of the African Society of International Law. He is also a member of the International Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Ahmed represents States and investors in investment treaty arbitrations before ICSID and the PCA and has appeared before the ICJ, CJEU, and ECHR, as well as in ICC and LCIA proceedings across Europe.

Kola Awodein, SAN, is the Founding Partner of Kola Awodein & Co., with offices in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978 and elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1999, he specialises in Commercial, Constitutional, and Real Estate Law. Mr. Awodein has advised major institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria and the World Bank, and played key roles in the Nigerian Banking Sector Reform Programme and the establishment of AMCON. A Fellow of several professional institutes, he is also a Notary Public, distinguished lecturer, and internationally recognised advocate and arbitrator.

Virginie Colaiuta is a Partner at LMS Legal LLP in London with over 25 years of experience as counsel, advocate, and arbitrator in international arbitration, particularly in construction, energy, aerospace, and defence projects. She is admitted to practise in England and Wales, New York, and France, and holds a law degree from Italy. Virginie is a Visiting Fellow at King’s College London’s Centre of Construction Law and Dispute Resolution, where she teaches investment treaty protection and conflict of laws. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the International Construction Projects Committee of the International Bar Association.

Mark began his career in 1982 as a Site Quantity Surveyor and became a Director at Kingsbourne in 1994. He has evaluated variations and claims on major projects, including dams, mining, roads, power plants, and harbours across Australia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He prepares claims for adjudication, mediation, and arbitration and frequently serves as an expert witness on claim quantification in various forums across Australia and Africa. Mark has also acted as a single-member and chairperson/member of three-person Dispute Adjudication and Avoidance Boards (DABs/DAABs) on numerous infrastructure projects throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Ngo-Martins is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution practice at Aluko & Oyebode and heads the firm’s Construction and Engineering Practice. A skilled litigator and arbitration lawyer, he has expertise in construction, energy, oil & gas, shipping, and aviation law. He has acted as counsel and arbitrator in LCIA, UNCITRAL, and ICC arbitrations seated in Nigeria, London, Zurich, and Miami. He advises on FIDIC, NEC, JCT, and bespoke EPC/EPCM contracts across various sectors. Founder and Executive Director of the Africa Construction Law initiative, he is recognised by The Legal 500 (EMEA) for his expertise and leadership in arbitration and construction law.

Nosakhare Aguebor is an Associate Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel at the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a leading pan-African multilateral development finance institution. Before joining AFC in 2019, he was a Senior Associate and Team Lead of the Banking, Finance, and Projects Practice at G. Elias. He previously worked with the African Export-Import Bank in 2006 and 2011. With over 15 years of experience in corporate and project finance, capital markets, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) across 20 African countries, Nosakhare holds an LLM in International Trade Law (Distinction) and an MPhil in Development Finance. He was named a “Rising Star” and “Next Generation Partner” by IFLR1000 and Legal 500.

Adekunle Olaofe is a seasoned legal professional with over 15 years of post-call experience spanning fintech, corporate governance, commercial law, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. He has held key legal and leadership roles at Qrios Networks Limited and VFD Group, bringing deep expertise in multinational and financial sector operations. Currently, he serves as Senior Manager at Flutterwave, where he leads legal support for the company’s global expansion and operations. His work focuses on regulatory compliance, risk management, and strategic dispute resolution, ensuring Flutterwave’s continued growth and adherence to international legal and regulatory standards.

Jackwell Feris is a Director in Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s Dispute Resolution Practice and Sector Head for Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade. With over 18 years’ experience, he has represented governments, state-owned entities, multilaterals, and private clients in complex disputes across oil and gas, mining, energy, infrastructure, and government sectors. A leading arbitration practitioner, he handles major international commercial and investment arbitrations and contributes actively to arbitration capacity building in Africa. He lectures on international arbitration, serves on key committees including ICC South Africa and AFSA International, and is consistently recognised by Best Lawyers, Legal 500, and Chambers Global for dispute resolution excellence.

Michael Osilama Otu is the Company Secretary and General Counsel of Zenith Bank Plc, a position he has held since 1997. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1993, he holds an LL.M from the University of Lagos and brings over 30 years of expertise in banking law, corporate governance, and compliance. A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, he is a member of several professional bodies, including the NBA, IBA, and Institute of Directors. He has participated in executive programmes at Harvard, INSEAD, Euromoney Singapore, and Lagos Business School, and has advised on multi-billion-dollar syndicated facilities.

Toheeb is an Associate at Aluko & Oyebode and an experienced dispute resolution lawyer with a focus on litigation, international, domestic, and investor-state arbitration. He holds an LL.M in International Business Law (Distinction) from The University of Law, London. He has participated in numerous commercial and investment arbitrations under leading institutional rules, including ICSID, LCIA, ICC, DIAC, AAA/ICDR, and RCICAL, serving as counsel and tribunal secretary. He was named Young Arbitration Practitioner of the Year at the 2024 Africa Arbitration Awards.

Latifat Hamdalat Hassan is a legal practitioner and Chartered Arbitrator with diverse experience in litigation, compliance, and dispute resolution. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, she was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2017. She has worked with Falana & Falana's Chambers, Abuja, and St. Christopher's Chambers (Oyiboka & Co.), Port Harcourt, handling complex legal matters with precision. She is the former Young NICArb Representative of the Abuja Branch.

Abasiemediong Etuk, MCArb, is a Senior Associate at KENNA, specialising in Dispute Resolution and ADR, Capital Markets, and Corporate Governance & Regulatory Compliance. Her dispute resolution experience spans oil spill litigation, contract breaches, labour disputes, shareholder actions, cross-border arbitration, and enforcement of fundamental rights. She has served as a tribunal secretary in both international and domestic arbitrations.

Festus Ogun is a Partner at FOLEGAL, a premier Nigerian disputes resolution Law Firm based in Lagos and he heads the litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution team of the firm. He routinely appears before high courts, industrial courts, appellate courts, and arbitral tribunals. He handles courtroom disputes and arbitration work related to labour and employment, banking and finance, energy and oil and gas, shipping and maritime, electoral and constitutional matters, and general contracts.

Tat Lim is an IMI Certified Mediator and Mediation Advocate, currently serving as Chair of the IMI Board of Directors. An international dispute resolution practitioner based in Singapore, he is a founding member of Maxwell Mediators and an accredited mediator and arbitrator with several leading institutions. With nearly 20 years of experience mediating commercial and public interest disputes, Tat is also deeply committed to developing future mediators, training and assessing practitioners globally. A 2017 Weinstein JAMS International Fellow, he chairs the Society of Mediation Professionals (Singapore) and serves on the board of the Singapore Mediation Centre. His work has been recognized by The Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal: Mediation.

CAI Weiping (Dennis) is the Deputy Director of the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (AALCO-HKRAC), a position he has held since 2022. With over two decades of experience in international arbitration, he has served in senior roles at leading institutions, including Deputy Chief Operating Officer at eBRAM International ODR Centre, Secretary-General of the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre, and Assistant Secretary-General of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. An experienced arbitrator, Dennis has decided more than 30 cases involving intellectual property, domain name, and e-commerce disputes, reflecting his deep expertise in technology-related arbitration.

Oladimeji is a Legal Counsel at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). He is a seasoned advocate, with over a decade of experience in first instance and appellate litigation, commercial and investment arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution across a wide range of industries. At ICSID, Oladimeji manages, and acts as tribunal secretary, in investor-state disputes administered on the basis of the ICSID Convention and its arbitration, conciliation, mediation and additional facility rules.

Achere Ibifuro Cole, FCIArb (UK), is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC), Africa's first court-connected ADR Centre. A Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria with over 22 years' experience, she is a leading ADR specialist in mediation, arbitration, restorative justice, and justice reform. She has led judicial transformation projects with IDLO, IDEA, EU, and the British Council across Africa, co-authored Nigeria's first Restorative Justice Manual, and expanded Multi-Door Courthouses nationwide. A Fellow of CIArb (UK) and CEDR Mediator, she sits on several ADR boards and speaks globally on dispute resolution.

Honourable Justice Jumoke Olusola Pedro obtained her LL.B (Hons) from the University of Lagos in 1980 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981. She joined the Lagos State Judiciary in 1984, rising through the ranks from Magistrate to Chief Registrar before her appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State in 2001. She currently heads the Commercial and Fast Track Division and serves as Chairman of the Governing Council, Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, she is also a Certified Mediator.

Justice Mbono is a Senior Magistrate and expert in Intellectual Property Law, he has held several key positions within the Ministry of Justice of Cameroon, including Deputy Public Prosecutor, President of various courts, and currently President of the Court of Appeal of the West Region. An accredited OHADA trainer and lecturer at ERSUMA in Porto-Novo, he also serves as a consultant in Intellectual Property Law. He holds Master’s degrees in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Nantes (France) and Cybercrime Law from Gaston Berger University (Senegal). Fluent in French and English, he is a recipient of the Officer of the National Order of Valour.

Momoh Kadiri is a dual-qualified lawyer in England & Wales and Nigeria, and the Managing Partner of Mitchell Simmonds, a commercial dispute resolution firm based in Canary Wharf, London. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), his international practice spans arbitration, litigation, and commercial law across sectors such as oil and gas, energy, mining, construction, infrastructure, and maritime. Momoh accepts appointments as an arbitrator and is conversant with major institutional rules, including ICC, LCIA, LMAA, UNCITRAL, ICSID, and LCA. He is also an accredited mediator and serves on the Court of Arbitration of the Lusaka International Arbitration Centre (LIAC).

CUI Jun, LLB, LLM, is Managing Director of Frontier and Partners, specializing in international construction law. He is an Arbitrator with the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission and has extensive experience in international construction contracts, arbitration, and dispute resolution. He has worked abroad for over 20 years across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe, advising major Chinese contractors. Author of 14 books on FIDIC contracts and over 100 articles on international construction contracts.

Hon. Justice Hadiza Rabi'u Shagari (JCA) was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2023, after serving as a Judge of the Federal High Court since 2015. She began her judicial career as a Senior Magistrate in 2006. Prior to joining the judiciary, she worked at the Nigerian Ports Authority from 1994 to 2006. She served on federal government committees. A 1991 graduate of Usman Danfodiyo University with a combined LLB in Common Law & Sharia, she was called to the Bar in 1992. In 2021, she became a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. She has interests in marine and commercial law and advocates for transparency, integrity, and timely justice delivery.

Remy Gerbay (LL.M., Ph.D.) is a Partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Washington, D.C., where he leads the firm’s investor–state arbitration practice. He has represented clients in complex disputes under major institutional rules, including ICC, LCIA, ICSID, and UNCITRAL, across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and finance. A former Deputy Registrar of the LCIA and Registrar of DIFC-LCIA, Remy has been appointed arbitrator in over 25 cases. He co-directs the LL.M. in Arbitration at Queen Mary University of London and serves as Vice President of the International Court of AFSA.

Jonathan is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Department at Bowmans, specialising in Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration. His expertise spans transactional disputes, contractual claims, mining matters, and urgent High Court proceedings. He has represented clients in cross-border disputes involving Botswana, France, Nigeria, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom and successfully defended South Africa’s largest brewery in litigation and arbitration. A qualified mediator accredited by the Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (UK), Jonathan holds BA and LLB degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand and an LLM from the University of Edinburgh focused on international arbitration.

Caroline Nene Etuk is the Director of the Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse and former Director of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, Africa’s first court-connected ADR Centre. With an LL.B. from the University of Ife and an LL.M. from King’s College, London, she has been instrumental in justice sector reform and ADR development in Nigeria. A CEDR-accredited mediator and Weinstein JAMS Fellow, she has consulted for the British Council, World Bank, and EU. Mrs. Etuk also serves as President of the Forum of Directors of Multi-Door Courthouses of Nigeria and remains a leading voice in mainstreaming ADR nationwide.