Barristers, Solicitors, Notary Public & Arbitrators · Since 1993

Practice areas

Areas of practice

15 areas of contentious and non-contentious work, handled from the firm's offices in Makurdi, Abuja and Lafia.

01

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Civil claims before the Magistrate, Customary, High and Federal High Courts and on appeal, together with negotiation, mediation and other routes to settlement.

A contract has been broken and the other side will not pay. A tenant will not give up possession.

Common questions (4)
  • I have been served with court papers. What should I do first? Note the date on which you were served and bring the papers to a lawyer promptly. The rules fix a short period within which you must enter appearance and file a defence, and missing it can allow the other side to seek judgment in default.
  • How long do I have to bring a claim? It depends on the type of claim. Limitation periods differ for contract, tort, recovery of land and other actions, and some claims against public officers have very short periods. Take advice early rather than assume there is time.
  • Can a dispute be settled without going to court? Often, yes. Negotiation, mediation and arbitration are all available, and a settlement can be recorded as a binding agreement or, where a case is already in court, entered as the judgment of the court.
  • What documents should I bring to a first meeting? Every document connected with the dispute — agreements, receipts, letters, emails, messages, photographs and any court papers — together with the names of anyone who witnessed the events.

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02

Land Law & Property

Title disputes, family and community land, sale and purchase, trespass, and the perfection of interests in land.

A parcel of land your family has occupied for two generations has been sold to someone else. Or the survey plan you were shown does not match the land you were taken to see.

Common questions (5)
  • Does a Certificate of Occupancy mean the land is definitely mine? No. A Certificate of Occupancy is evidence of a right of occupancy, not conclusive proof of title. Where it is shown that the person who granted it had no power to do so, or that a better title exists, a certificate can be set aside. It is a strong document, but it is not the end of the enquiry.
  • Someone is building on land I bought. What can I do now? Take advice quickly. Where there is a risk that the position on the ground will change before a matter can be tried, an application may be made at the outset for an order preserving the position pending determination. Delay narrows the options available, so the timing of the first step matters.
  • Can family land be sold by one member of the family? Generally not. Family land is held by the family as a unit, and customary law defines the roles of the head of family and the principal members in any dealing with it. A purported sale that lacks the consents customary law requires may be void, or open to being set aside by those whose consent was not obtained.
  • What documents should I bring to a first meeting? Bring everything you have, even if it appears incomplete or informal — receipts, agreements, survey plans, any certificate or registered instrument, correspondence, and the names of the persons who witnessed any transaction. Documents that seem unimportant frequently turn out to be decisive.
  • Must a land dispute go to the High Court? Not necessarily. Jurisdiction depends on the nature of the claim and the persons involved; some matters fall within the jurisdiction of a Customary Court. Where the dispute is between family or community members, it may also be capable of resolution without litigation, and that possibility is considered before a claim is filed.

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03

Banking & Debt Recovery

Recovery suits, security and realisation, guarantees, garnishee proceedings, and disputes over account operation.

A facility has gone unserviced and the security is a property whose title now looks less certain than it did at disbursement. A guarantor says he signed nothing of the sort.

Common questions (5)
  • What is the undefended list? It is a procedure under the High Court rules for claims to recover a liquidated sum where the claimant believes there is no defence on the merits. The defendant must file a notice of intention to defend supported by an affidavit disclosing a defence before the return date. If no defence is disclosed, judgment may be entered without a full trial.
  • We have judgment but no payment. What now? Enforcement is a separate stage. Garnishee proceedings can attach money held for the judgment debtor by a third party such as a bank, by an order nisi that may then be made absolute. Which route is appropriate depends on what the debtor has and where it is held.
  • Does an unregistered charge still secure the debt? Not reliably. A charge over the assets of a company must be registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission within the period prescribed by CAMA 2020. An unregistered charge may be void against a liquidator and other creditors, which leaves the lender ranking as unsecured at the moment security matters most.
  • Can a guarantor be released? A guarantee is construed strictly and the guarantor's liability is limited to what the instrument provides. Where the principal contract is materially varied without the guarantor's assent, the guarantor may be discharged. Whether that has happened depends on the wording of the instrument and what was in fact varied.
  • The bank has charged interest we never agreed. Is that recoverable? Charges and interest applied outside the agreed terms are in principle recoverable, and the account may be referred for reconciliation by an expert appointed for that purpose. The offer letter, the acceptance and the full statement of account are the starting point.

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04

Corporate & Commercial Law

Incorporation and corporate governance, contracts, commercial disputes, and regulatory filings.

A business has been trading for years on a name nobody registered. Two partners who never wrote anything down now disagree about what was agreed.

Common questions (5)
  • Business name or limited company — which do we need? A business name registration records the name under which a person or persons trade; it does not create a separate legal person, so the proprietors remain personally liable. A limited company is a separate legal person with liability limited to the amount unpaid on its shares. The answer depends on liability exposure, how the business will be funded, and who it intends to contract with.
  • We have not filed annual returns for several years. What happens? The obligation continues and the default accumulates. It typically surfaces when evidence of good standing is required by a bank, a counterparty or a public body. Outstanding returns can generally be brought up to date, and it is far better done before the moment the evidence is needed.
  • Is a verbal agreement enforceable? Many verbal agreements are enforceable in principle, but the difficulty is proof. Without a document, the terms have to be established by evidence, which is slower, more expensive and less certain. Certain agreements are also required by law to be in writing.
  • What is a register of persons with significant control? CAMA 2020 requires companies to keep a register of persons who hold significant control over the company and to notify the Corporate Affairs Commission. It is a continuing obligation, not a one-off filing at incorporation.
  • Our contract says disputes go to arbitration. Can we still sue? Where the parties have agreed to arbitrate, that agreement will ordinarily be given effect, and a court asked to hear a claim covered by it may stay the proceedings. The starting point is always the wording of the clause and what it actually covers.

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05

Criminal Defence & Arbitration

Representation from arrest through bail, trial and appeal, and the conduct of commercial arbitration and mediation under the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023.

A relative was taken from the house on Friday evening and it is now Monday and nobody has been charged with anything. An invitation has arrived from an agency asking that someone attend "for questioning", and nobody is sure whether it can be declined.

Common questions (6)
  • My relative has been detained. What can be done today? Counsel should attend at the station, establish the allegation and the investigating officer, and be present for any statement. Where the offence admits of administrative bail it is pursued there; otherwise a bail application is made to the court. Where a person has been held beyond the constitutional period without being brought before a court, an application for enforcement of fundamental rights may be made.
  • Do I have to answer questions without a lawyer present? The Constitution entitles a person to defend themselves by a legal practitioner of their own choice, and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act regulates how statements are taken. The prudent course is to say that you wish counsel present and to say so plainly, then wait.
  • Is bail expensive? Bail is not a payment to the police, and administrative bail at the station is free. A court may grant bail on conditions, which commonly involve sureties meeting stated requirements, and conditions must not be so onerous as to amount to a refusal of bail.
  • The other side has sued despite an arbitration clause. What now? An application may be made to the court to stay those proceedings in favour of the arbitration. It should be made promptly and before taking any step in the proceedings, because participating in the action can be treated as a waiver of the right to insist on arbitration.
  • Can an arbitral award be appealed? Not in the ordinary sense. An award is final and binding, and the grounds on which a court may set it aside are narrow and largely procedural — they do not include that the tribunal decided the dispute wrongly. The Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 does allow the parties to agree in advance that an award be reviewed by an Award Review Tribunal.
  • Is arbitration quicker than litigation? It can be, because the parties control the timetable and there is no general right of appeal on the merits. It is not automatically so, and it is not automatically cheaper: the parties pay the tribunal and the venue. Whether it suits a particular dispute is a question to be answered when the contract is drafted, not after.

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06

Chieftaincy & Customary Law

Selection, appointment and deposition disputes, customary arbitration, and appeals from customary courts.

A stool has fallen vacant and two families each say the turn is theirs. A selection has been made and those who were not consulted say the process was not the one the custom requires.

Common questions (5)
  • Must a chieftaincy dispute go to court? Not in the first instance, and frequently not at all. Where state chieftaincy legislation provides an internal procedure — a complaint to the traditional council or the appropriate authority — that route may need to be followed before a court will entertain the matter. Many disputes are also capable of resolution within the community.
  • How is customary law proved? As a question of fact, by evidence — usually the evidence of elders and members of the relevant families, supported by records of what has actually happened on past occasions. Where a custom has been established repeatedly in decided cases, a court may take judicial notice of it without further proof.
  • Is a decision of elders binding? It may be. A customary arbitration can bind the parties where they voluntarily submitted the dispute, agreed in advance to accept the outcome, and the decision was given according to the custom. Each of those conditions must be established, and a decision that does not meet them may not be binding.
  • What is a chieftaincy declaration? It is a document registered under state chieftaincy legislation that records the customary law applicable to a particular chieftaincy — the ruling houses, the order of rotation where there is one, and the persons entitled to select. Where one exists, it is ordinarily the governing instrument.
  • Can a custom be set aside by a court? A court will not enforce a custom that is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience, or that is incompatible with a written law. Constitutional protections, including the right to a fair hearing, also apply to chieftaincy processes.

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07

Estate & Succession

Wills, probate, letters of administration, intestate succession under customary law, and disputes among beneficiaries.

A parent has died and the bank will not release the account without a grant. There is a will, and a child who was left out says it was not properly made.

Common questions (5)
  • What are letters of administration and when are they needed? Letters of administration are the grant issued by the court authorising named persons to administer the estate of someone who died without a valid will. Until a grant is made, no one has authority to deal with the estate, which is why banks and registries will not release assets without one.
  • How long does a grant take? It varies with the size and complexity of the estate, whether the entitlement is disputed, and the pace of the Probate Registry. It is not a matter on which a reliable general estimate can be given, and any specific timeframe should be treated with caution.
  • Can a will be challenged? Yes, on grounds including that the testator lacked capacity when it was made, that it was procured by undue influence, or that the formalities required for a valid will were not observed. A challenge is dealt with by the court in contentious proceedings.
  • Do daughters inherit under customary law? Customary law is not applied where it is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience, and Nigerian courts have applied that principle to customs excluding female children from inheritance. The constitutional prohibition on discrimination is also engaged. The position in any particular estate depends on the custom asserted and the facts.
  • The family cannot agree who should apply. What happens? Where those entitled cannot agree, the dispute is resolved by the High Court, and the grant awaits the outcome. It is usually worth exploring whether agreement can be reached first, because contested applications are slower and more expensive for the estate itself.
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08

Family, Entertainment & Sports Law

Dissolution of marriage, custody and maintenance, adoption, and the contracts, copyright and image rights of performers, creatives and athletes.

A marriage has broken down and the question is no longer whether it ends but on what terms, and who the children live with. A record has been released and the person who wrote the song is not named on it.

Common questions (6)
  • How long does a divorce take in Nigeria? It depends entirely on whether the matter is contested and on the list of the court seised of it. A petition supported by terms the parties have agreed proceeds very differently from one in which custody and property are both in dispute. No estimate of duration can properly be given without the facts.
  • Who gets custody of the children? There is no automatic answer and no rule that awards children to one parent by reason of sex. The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration, and the court weighs the child's age, needs, existing arrangements, and the capacity of each parent to meet them. Orders can be varied if circumstances change.
  • I wrote the song but the label registered it. Who owns the copyright? Ownership begins with the author of the work, but it can be assigned or exclusively licensed — and under the Copyright Act 2022 an assignment or exclusive licence must be in writing. What the label registered is evidence of a claim, not proof of one. The answer turns on what, if anything, was signed.
  • Do I have to register my copyright? No. Copyright arises automatically once an original work is fixed. Registration at the Nigerian Copyright Commission does not create the right, but it does create a dated record of the claim, which is useful when ownership is later disputed.
  • Can a player take a contract dispute straight to court? Often not, at least not first. Federation regulations commonly require internal procedures to be exhausted and disputes to go to arbitration. Whether the ordinary courts can be approached, and when, depends on the regulations that govern the relationship and on the terms of the contract itself.
  • What is an image rights agreement? It is a contract governing the use of a person's name, likeness, signature and associated attributes, usually for endorsement or merchandising. Its value lies almost entirely in its drafting: the territory, the media, the term, the exclusivity and the permitted uses are only as wide as the words used.
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09

Electoral Matters

Pre-election suits, party primaries and nomination, election petitions before the tribunals, and appeals — all of it governed by fixed constitutional time limits.

A primary was held, or was said to have been held, and the name forwarded to the Commission is not the name of the person who won it. A result has been declared and the figures announced at the collation centre do not match the figures on the result sheets.

Common questions (6)
  • How long do I have to file an election petition? Twenty-one days after the date of the declaration of the result. The period is fixed by the Constitution. It cannot be extended by the tribunal, by consent of the parties, or on any ground of hardship, and a petition presented outside it is liable to be struck out without consideration of its merits.
  • What is the difference between a pre-election matter and a petition? A pre-election matter concerns nomination, qualification or the conduct of a party primary, is filed in the High Court within 14 days of the event complained of, and must be determined within 180 days of filing. An election petition questions the election or the return itself, is filed within 21 days of the declaration of the result, and is heard by an election tribunal.
  • Is it enough to show that the rules were not followed? No. Where an election is questioned for non-compliance, it must be shown both that non-compliance occurred and that it substantially affected the result. Irregularity that did not affect the outcome will not, on its own, disturb a return.
  • What documents will be needed? Certified true copies of the relevant electoral forms and result sheets for the units in issue, the accreditation and transmission records, the agents' reports, and the details of the polling units complained of. These are applied for from the Commission and the application should be made immediately, because the period is already running.
  • Can a court order a fresh election? A tribunal has power to nullify an election and order that a fresh one be conducted, among other orders open to it. Whether any particular order is made depends entirely on the ground established and the evidence, and nothing here should be read as suggesting a likely result.
  • Who can challenge a party primary? Generally, an aspirant who took part in the primary complained of. A person who did not participate, and a person who is not a member of the party, will ordinarily face an objection on the ground that they have no standing to complain of how the party selected its candidate.
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10

Employment & Labour Law

Contracts of employment, workplace policies, discipline and termination, and claims before the National Industrial Court.

An employee has been dismissed and says the procedure was not followed. A business is growing and still has no written contracts or handbook.

Common questions (3)
  • Can my employer dismiss me without giving a reason? The position has moved. The National Industrial Court has held that termination should be for a valid reason connected with conduct, capacity or operational requirements, in line with international labour standards. The contract and the facts still matter a great deal.
  • Which court hears employment disputes? The National Industrial Court has exclusive jurisdiction over most labour and employment matters, including those arising from the terms of employment.
  • Does a small business need written employment contracts? Yes. The Labour Act requires written particulars for workers within its scope, and clear contracts and policies reduce the risk of disputes for every business.

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11

Capital Market & Intellectual Property

Securities offerings and SEC registration, collective investment schemes and digital assets, and the registration, licensing and enforcement of trade marks, copyright and patents.

A company wants to raise money from people who are not already its shareholders, and needs to know what it is now obliged to file, register and disclose. A scheme has been operating for a year taking money from the public and someone has asked whether it ought to have been registered.

Common questions (6)
  • Does my business need SEC registration to raise money? It depends on who is being invited and what is being offered. An invitation to the public to acquire securities engages the registration requirements of the Investments and Securities Act, and the statutory idea of "the public" is wider than most promoters assume. The structure should be assessed against the Act before any money is taken.
  • Is my brand protected if I have not registered the trade mark? Not in the same way. Registration confers the statutory right to sue for infringement. Without it you are left to the common law action for passing off, in which goodwill, misrepresentation and damage must each be proved — a considerably heavier exercise than producing a certificate.
  • Somebody has registered a mark we have used for years. What can be done? There are routes, depending on when the mark was registered and what use can be evidenced — opposition, where the application is still within the period, and applications to expunge or rectify the register thereafter, alongside any passing-off claim. The starting point is documentary proof of your own use and its date.
  • Does a Nigerian patent mean the invention is valid? Not by itself. Nigeria operates a first-to-file system without substantive examination, so a patent is granted without the office having tested novelty or inventive step. Validity is examined when the patent is enforced or challenged, which is why the specification matters so much at the drafting stage.
  • Where are intellectual property cases heard? The Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction over copyright, trade mark and patent matters under section 251 of the Constitution. Passing off, which is a common law action, may fall elsewhere depending on how the claim is framed and what else is claimed with it.
  • Are digital assets regulated in Nigeria? The Investments and Securities Act 2025 brought digital and virtual assets and their intermediaries expressly within the regulatory perimeter, and the Commission regulates accordingly. What that means for a particular product depends on how the product is structured and what is being offered to whom.

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12

Technology & Data Protection

Digital technology law — data protection compliance, technology contracts, online businesses, e-commerce and digital assets.

A business collects customers' names and phone numbers and has never thought about what the law requires of it. A developer has built an app and nobody wrote down who owns the code.

Common questions (3)
  • Does the Nigeria Data Protection Act apply to small businesses? The Act applies to the processing of personal data of persons in Nigeria generally, though some obligations, such as registration, apply only to controllers of major importance. Every organisation that handles personal data should know its basic duties.
  • Who owns software written by a contractor? Unless the contract says otherwise, the position can be uncertain and may favour the author. A written agreement assigning the rights should be in place before work starts.
  • Are WhatsApp messages and emails admissible in court? Electronic evidence is admissible under section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011 where its conditions are met, usually supported by a certificate of authentication.

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13

Solid Minerals & Mining Law

Mineral titles, community development agreements, landowner compensation and regulatory compliance under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007.

Benue and Nasarawa States sit on significant deposits of solid minerals, and the questions that follow are practical ones. A company wants to explore and does not know which title it needs.

Common questions (3)
  • Who owns minerals found on my land? Minerals are vested in the Federal Government. The owner or occupier of the land keeps rights in the surface and is entitled to compensation where mining disturbs them.
  • Can mining start on community land without consultation? The Act requires consent of the owners or occupiers of land for access and requires a mining lease holder to conclude a community development agreement with the host community.
  • Which licence does a small operator need? It depends on the scale and the mineral. The Act provides for small-scale mining leases and quarry leases alongside larger titles. Advice should be taken before any activity begins.

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15

Pro Bono & Human Rights

Enforcement of fundamental rights under Chapter IV of the Constitution and the African Charter, and matters the firm takes without charge.

Someone has been in a cell for eleven weeks and has never been taken before a court. A bank account has been frozen on the strength of a letter, and no order was ever made.

Common questions (6)
  • What is a fundamental rights application? It is an application to the High Court under section 46 of the Constitution and the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, made by originating motion, by a person alleging that a right in Chapter IV has been, is being, or is likely to be contravened in relation to them. It is decided on affidavit evidence and argument rather than by full trial.
  • How long do I have to bring one? The Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules provide that no application brought under them is to be affected by a limitation statute. That said, delay is never an advantage: evidence deteriorates, witnesses become harder to find, and the practical position on the ground hardens.
  • Can somebody bring an application on behalf of another person? Yes. The Rules expressly permit human rights activists, advocates and organisations to act on behalf of persons whose rights are threatened, and provide that no application is to be dismissed for want of locus standi. This matters most where the person affected is in detention and cannot approach a court themselves.
  • Can the police detain someone over a debt? A debt is a civil matter. The use of arrest and detention to compel payment of a civil obligation has repeatedly been held to be a contravention of the right to personal liberty, and it is one of the more common grounds on which fundamental rights applications succeed.
  • How do I ask the firm to take a matter without charge? Write to the office setting out what has happened, when, who is involved, and what documents you hold, and say that you are asking for the matter to be taken without charge. Requests are assessed on the nature of the matter and on means, and capacity is limited, so the firm cannot undertake to accept every request.
  • What is the Legal Aid Council? It is a federal body established under the Legal Aid Act which provides legal assistance to persons who cannot afford it, in the categories of matter set out in the Act. It has offices in the states and is a proper first port of call where a matter falls within its scheme.
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