Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening investor confidence, upholding the rule of law and creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive through effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance at the third Annual Multi-Door Courthouses and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Stakeholders Summit 2026, organised by the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, under the theme, “Investor Confidence and ADR: Strengthening Nigeria’s Investment Climate.” He was represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN.
A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the LMDC Practice Direction on Mediation Procedure 2026 by the governor. The initiative is expected to strengthen the institutional framework for alternative dispute resolution, improve the efficiency of mediation proceedings and further position Lagos as a destination for business and investment.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, highlighted the Federal Government’s economic initiatives to attract investments, create jobs and promote sustainable growth. She identified agriculture and solid minerals as key sectors with significant investment opportunities, stressing that a reliable ADR framework was essential to attracting foreign direct investment.
Earlier, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba, commended the LMDC for its contributions to promoting alternative dispute resolution within the state’s justice system. He stressed that effective dispute resolution was critical to addressing the needs of a growing economy and creating a conducive environment for investment.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the LMDC, Justice Jumoke Pedro, said the summit was aimed at examining the relationship between efficient dispute resolution and investor confidence. She reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to strengthening ADR mechanisms and promoting public confidence in alternative avenues for resolving disputes.
In separate goodwill messages, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, highlighted the importance of ADR in complementing litigation and improving access to justice. Badejo-Okusanya also commended the partnership between the NBA and LMDC, describing referrals to the courthouse as timely and effective.
The Head of Cluster at the German development organisation GIZ, Didier Djoumessi, represented by Akinropo Omoware, also reaffirmed the organisation’s support for the development of alternative dispute resolution in Nigeria.
The summit underscored the need for stronger collaboration among the government, judiciary, legal practitioners, development partners and private sector to improve dispute resolution, boost investor confidence and strengthen Lagos and Nigeria’s position as attractive investment destinations.
