The University of Lagos (UNILAV) Maritime Forum hosted the first edition of the National Maritime Arbitration Competition, featuring simulated arbitration proceedings at the Faculty of Law Annex. The event brought together law students, legal practitioners, and academics to spotlight the increasing role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Nigeria's legal sector. UNILAG was represented by Toveshede Ebenezer and Adebayo Roqeeb, while the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) fielded Blessed Oyegbami and Titus Oyinloye.

Professor Abiola Sanni, Dean of the Faculty of Law, praised the organisers and urged participants to embrace expert knowledge shared during the competition. The Staff Adviser of the Maritime Forum, Prof. Adewale Olawoyin (SAN), called ADR the "new legal practice," stating that high-value commercial disputes globally and in Nigeria are increasingly settled through arbitration rather than litigation. He emphasized that arbitration allows parties to select field experts as adjudicators, requiring advocates to be highly prepared.

Olawoyin advised students to develop specialisations in niche areas like maritime law and arbitration to build expertise and recognition. UNILAG emerged as winner of the competition and received a cash prize of N500,000. Legal practitioners in attendance commended the participants for their intelligence and handling of complex legal issues. Guest arbitrator Koye Akoni praised their advocacy skills but urged greater focus on structure, simplicity, and clarity in legal submissions.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

Prof. Adewale Olawoyin calls arbitration the "new legal practice" while students still compete for N500,000 in a single university event. If high-value disputes are shifting to arbitration, most Nigerian law graduates without niche training will be left out. UNILAG winning reflects early advantage, but the gap between legal education and real-world practice remains wide. Specialisation is now a career necessity, not just an academic choice.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →