By Moninuola Sulaiman
Experts from the public and private sectors, business lawyers, and other stakeholders in the business law environment converged in Abuja on Wednesday, 20th to Friday, 22nd July 2022 for the 16th Annual International Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).
The conference held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, under the theme “Recent Developments in the Business Law Environment” and will explore some recent developments in the Nigerian business law environment, how they have affected businesses, and what needs to be done to help businesses thrive.
Kosi Antwiwaa Yankey-Ayeh, CEO, of Ghana Enterprises Agency was the Keynote Speaker. She spoke at the conference opening ceremony on July 20, 2022.
The conference featured 11 insightful and inspiring plenaries with sub-themes that include “CAMA 2020: The Journey So Far”, “ESG and the Nigerian Business Environment”, “In-house & External Counsel Relationship – New Trends and Expectations”, “Tackling the Challenges of Ponzi Schemes: Insolvency as a Resolution Tool”, “AfCTFA: The Prospects for the Nigerian Business Lawyer”, and “The New Face of Competition – Merger Control in the Nigerian Context”, the 2022 Conference Planning Committee (CPC) said in a note.
Other sub-themes addressed at the conference are “Tax Administration Strides and the Nigerian Business Environment”, “Regulation of Internet Services Platforms: Necessity or Overreaching?”, “The Nigerian Startup Bill – Economic Enabler?”, “The Petroleum Industry Act – Making it Work”, and “The Business of Law – New Frontiers, and Succession”.
The CPC said that a distinguished faculty of over 60 knowledgeable speakers and resource persons from within and outside Nigeria has been assembled to do justice to these sub-themes.
According to the schedule of programs released by the CPC, speakers and panelists at the plenaries include Garba Abubakar, Registrar General, CAC; Babatunde Irukera, Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); Muhammed Mamman Nami, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullah, DG, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Col. Felix Orevoghene Alaita (Rtd.), SSA to the President on Country Risk Assessment & Evaluation; Habib Nuhu, SSA to the President on Natural Resources/Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission; Francis Anatogu, Secretary, National Action Committee on AfCFTA; Kofo S. Abdussalam-Alada, Director, CBN Legal Services/Legal Adviser; and Charles Nwachukwu, Chief Legal Officer, Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency.
Others are John Balsdon, Partner, Latham & Watkins LP; Irene Robinson-Ayanwale, General Counsel, Nigerian Exchange Limited; Anthony Idigbe SAN, Senior Partner, PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors; Muda Yusuf, CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE); Chiagozie Hilary-Nwokonko, Partner, Streamsowers & Kohn; Tinu Awe, Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation Limited; Rukaiya El-Rufai, Partner, Sustainability & Climate Change and Public Sector Risk Assurance Services, PwC; Evelyne Mbula Nzuki, Managing Partner/Principal Attorney, MN Legal (Kenya); Jeroen Ouwehand, Global Senior Partner, Clifford Chance, and many others.
There were two Learning Curves sessions. The first, to be anchored by Lolia Biobele-Georgewill, Senior Associate at G. Elias, will have Rasheed Belo-Osagie of ENR Advisory, Adebisi Lamidi of Bloomfield, and Charles Adekunle of Babalakin & Co as interviewees, while the second, featuring Benita Ekebe of Paul Usoro & Co, Emmanuel Nkamare of TNP, and Yahaya Isah Abdulrasheed of Dikko & Mahmoud as interviewees, will be anchored by Victoria Anuri of Templars.
