The Lagos State Government has disclosed that its Ministry of Justice resolved 3,000 petitions through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), reducing potential liabilities of more than N1.2 billion to a settlement of N3 million.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Monday at the third annual Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Stakeholders’ Summit held at the MUSON Centre, Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), said the achievement demonstrated the economic benefits of resolving disputes amicably rather than allowing them to proceed through prolonged litigation.
The summit, themed, “Investor Confidence: ADR and Strengthening Nigeria’s Investment Climate,” brought together stakeholders in the justice sector, government, business community and legal profession to examine the role of effective dispute resolution in attracting investments and promoting economic growth.
The summit brought together judicial officers, legal practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss how effective dispute resolution mechanisms could support commercial activities, protect investments and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
The governor said Lagos accounted for more than a fifth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and attracted a significant proportion of foreign capital entering the country, making an efficient justice system essential to sustaining its position as a commercial hub.
“Capital stays where the rule of law is depended on and commercial disputes are settled fairly and promptly. Prolonged litigation does the opposite,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said no business, particularly a micro, small or medium sized enterprise, should collapse because a commercial dispute remained unresolved for years.
He described settlements facilitated by the LMDC as a means of releasing capital back into trade, payroll and production instead of allowing funds to remain tied down in litigation.
According to him, the state government has placed ADR at the centre of its ease-of-doing-business agenda and the security and governance pillars of its THEMES Plus Agenda.
He explained that the High Courts, Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, Citizens Mediation Bureau and Lagos Court of Arbitration operated as a connected dispute-resolution system, with each institution handling disputes suited to its processes.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving judicial infrastructure, citing new court facilities in Amuwo-Odofin and Epe.
He urged legal practitioners to promote ADR as the first resort in appropriate commercial disputes and encouraged them to study the newly introduced ADR Practice Direction to ensure its effective implementation.
