Maikyau, Idornigie, Onyema, and Roberts Elevated to Permanent Court of Arbitration

Nigeria’s legal sector received a major boost this past week with the elevation of four of the country’s best legal minds and arbitrators, who were elected to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands.

The four are Mr Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN, the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA);  the former Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Professor Paul Obo Idornigie, SAN; Professor Emilia Onyema, FCIArb; and Mrs Funmi Roberts, FCIArb.

Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, one of Nigeria’s leading arbitrators, was appointed to this prestigious international body, in recognition of his dedication to justice, human rights, and legal reform.

Professor Paul Idornigie, SAN, a University Scholar, holds a doctorate in International Commercial Arbitration; and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (London); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK); Chartered Arbitrator, and Member, London Court of International Arbitration.

Professor Emilia Onyema, FCIArb, has experience acting as sole, presiding, and co-arbitrator in many international commercial and investment contract disputes. She has written awards and arbitrated disputes arising from shareholders’ contracts, real estate investment contracts, and property and construction disputes, and has held appointments under the rules of the ICC, Kigali, and Abu Dhabi Centres.

Mrs Funmi Roberts, FCIArb, is the founder of one of the leading value-driven legal and ADR law firms in Nigeria, with expertise in diverse areas of legal practice and offering quality legal services. A Chartered Arbitrator and experienced corporate law practitioner, Mrs Roberts is an astute leader with an outstanding track record in mobilising for corporate and public sector reform, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. She is recognised and respected both within and outside the legal profession for her organisational skills, and ability to utilise her excellent analytical skills to achieve defined impactful objectives and develop novel strategically defined solutions to challenges. 

The PCA, established in 1899, is an intergovernmental organisation, that provides dispute resolution services to the international community. It operates under the principles of international law, offering a forum for the peaceful resolution of conflicts through arbitration and other means. The election of Maikyau and his colleagues to the PCA, highlights their standing in the international legal community and showcases Nigeria’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and promoting peaceful conflict resolution.

All four appointees are also members of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), and will serve for an initial six-year period.