Nigerian Bar Association – Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL)
12th Annual Business Law Conference, Abuja, June 27-29, 2018
Theme – Bringing Down the Barriers: The Law as a Vehicle for Intra-Africa Trade.
Day 1 – Thursday, June 28
8.00a.m.-6.00p.m.
Registration: 8:00am – 6:00 pm
Session 1: – 9:00am – 11:00am
Venue: Congress Hall
Bringing down the Barriers: The Law as a Vehicle for Intra-Africa Trade
This session will examine the raison d’etre for the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which seeks to progressively eliminate trade restrictions and transform the African economy.
Coordinators: Kunle Ajagbe, Partner, Aidan Partners, and Fatimah Dattijo Muhammed, Senior Associate, Miyetti Law
Moderator: Soji Awogbade, Managing Partner, Aelex
Session Chair: Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Lead Speaker: Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigerian Chief Trade Negotiator/ Director General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations
Panellists:
- E Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry
- Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Pat Utomi, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos
- Bola A. Akinterinwa, former Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
Tea break: 11:00 am – 11:30a.m.
Breakout Sessions: 11:30am – 1:00pm
Session 2A: – Financing Intra – African Trade and Development
For all the momentum towards Africa as a single trading bloc, trade and business activities need massive financing. This session will examine how key stakeholders intend to rise to the demands of financing the expansion of Intra-African trade.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Justina Lewa, Company Secretary/ Chief Legal Counsel, Sterling Bank Plc., and Esosa Omo-Usoh, Partner, Solola & Akpana
Session Chair:Okey Enelamah, Hon. Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment
Panellists:
- Haresh Aswani, Managing Director, Tolaram Group, Nigeria
- Samallie Kiyingi – Director & General Counsel, African Export – Import Bank
- Abba Bello, Managing Director, NEXIM Bank
- Damilola Adetunji, Partner, Odujinrin & Adefulu
- Kimathi Kuenyehia, Kimathi & Partners
- Kemi Arosanyin, Director, Africa Trade Expansion Programme, World Trade Centre, Miami, Florida
Session 2B: –Continental Trade and the Imperative of Unimpeded Movement of Goods, Labour and Services.
The success of the AFCFTA assumes that there will be minimal restrictions on the movement of goods, labour and services between African countries. This session will consider the concerns of various stakeholders and the mitigating safeguards.
Coordinators: Michael Osilama Otu, Legal Adviser/ Company Secretary, Zenith Bank Plc., and Kehinde Daodu, Partner, Babalakin & Co
Session Chair: Segun Awolowo, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Export Promotion Council
Panellists:
- Clara Bot-Mang, HR Director, Sub Saharan Africa, GE
- Tony Luka Elumelu– Head of Free Movement and Migration Division, ECOWAS Secretariat
- Frantz Celestin, Deputy Director, International Organization for Migration, Nigeria office
- Sadiq Aliyu, Deputy Comptroller, Nigerian Customs Service
- Ose Okpeku, Partner, The Law Crest LLP
- Afolabi Imoukhuede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and Youth Employment, Office of the Vice President
Lunch: 1pm – 2pm
Session 3: – AfCFTA and Transformative Industrialisation of Nigeria
Time: 2pm-3.30pm
This session will be headlined by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) as it seeks to affirm and share the transformative potential of AfCFTA for the industrialization of Africa’s largest economy – Nigeria.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Cecilia Madueke, Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser, Julius Berger Plc., and Olurotimi Aju, Partner, CLP Legal
Session Chair: George Etomi, founding Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association- Section on Business Law and Founding Partner, George Etomi & Partners
Speaker: Ambassador Ishmael Faizel, former South Africa Representative to the WTO
- Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, Nigerian Chief Trade Negotiator/Director General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations
- Ambassador Babafemi Adesina Badejo, CEO YINTAB Consult
- Adeyemi Dipeolu, Special Adviser (Economic) Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Breakout Sessions: 3:30pm – 5pm
Session 4A: – Enhancing Transport Connectivity in Africa
Transport connectively within Africa remains a weak pillar of support for continental trade. This session adopts a multi model approach to examining the state of air, road, rail and sea transportation in Africa, and how it can be developed to be an indispensable spine for continental trade.
Coordinators: Agba Emunjeze, Partner, Aarndale Solicitors, and Desmond Ogba, Partner, Templars
Session Chair: Adefunke Adeyemi, Regional Head, Member and External Relations, Africa and the Middle East, IATA
Panellists:
- Chidi Anyaegbu, MFR, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Chisco Transport Limited
- Towolde GebreMariam Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines
- Kayode Khalidson, Snr. Partner, Infrastructure Delivery International
- Kashimana Tsumba, Senior Associate, Banwo & Ighodalo
- Ayadamope Agbaje, Business Development, AP Moller Terminals
Session 4B: – Marching in Lockstep – Building Sub-National Competitiveness for Global Investment
States, provinces and other sub-national entitles have a crucial role in scaling up their capacity to attract global investment. This session leads a conversation on how these subnational entitles can harness their competitive advantages.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Ola Alokolaro, Partner, Advocaat, and Chinwe Odigboegwu, Head, Litigation and Dispute Resolution,Nigerian Bottling Company Plc.
Session Chair: Senator LiyelImoke, former Executive Governor, Cross Rivers State
Panellists:
- E. Ibrahim Dankwambo, FCA, Executive Governor, Gombe State
- Akin Oyebode, former Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti
- IfuekoOmoigui – Okauru, MFR, former Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service
Cocktail: 7pm – 8pm
Social Event- 8pm – 10pm
“Made in Nigeria” – A dance drama by Dike Chukwumerije
Coordinators: Ineze Anni-Anozie, IHS Towers, and Osose Aziba, CBO Capital Partners
Day 2 – Friday, June 29
8.30am – 6.00pm
Special Presentation by CWAG APP – 8:50am – 9:00am
Session: 5– 9:00am – 11:00am
Law Practice in the time of the African Continental Free Trade Area: Reimagining African Lawyers
An evolving single African market places a demand on lawyers to interrogatetheir preparedness to match the unfolding business landscape in Africa. This session will explore the demands posed by the AfCFTA on African lawyers and how they can retool to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Ahmed Modibbo, General Counsel, Nigerian Export Import Bank, and Anulika Osuigwe, Senior Counsel, Dikko and Mahmoud
Session Chair: Jayanth K. Krishnan, Professor of Law and Director, Milt and Judi Stewart Center on the Global Legal Profession Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Speaker: David Ofosu-Dorte – Senior Partner, AB & David
Panellists:
- Michel Brizoua-Bi, Bile-Aka, Brizoua Bi &Associes
- Olayemi Anyanechi, Managing Partner, Sefton Fross
- Yann Alix, Partner and Head of Africa Group, Ashurst LLP
- Toyin Ojo, Senior Counsel, African Legal Support Facility
- Wole Obayomi, Partner, KPMG
Tea Break: 11:00am – 11:30am
Breakout Sessions: 11:30am – 1:00pm
Session 6A: – Standardizing Continental Regulations on Consumer Protection and Competition Law
This session will consider the imperative for instituting a standardized and effective regime for consumer protection and competition regulation across the continent.
Coordinators: Soibi Ovia, Partner, Duale, Ovia&Alex- Adedipe, and Ijeomah Abalogu, Partner, Gbenga Biobaku & Co.
Session Chair: Justice Dr. Nnamdi Dimgba, Federal High Court, Abuja
Speaker: George K. Lipimile, Chief Executive Officer, COMESA Competition Commission
Panellists:
- Babatunde Irukera, Director General, Consumer Protection Council Nigeria
- Sola Salako-Ajulo, President, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria
- Lara Granville, Director – Corporate & Commercial, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc
- OzofuOgiemudia, Partner, Udo Udoma &Belo-Osagie
Session 6B: – Enabling e-Commerce Across the African Continent
The panelists in this session will discuss how technology is rapidly changing and positively disrupting the trade and business landscape across Africa despite key challenges. The discussion will consider the prospect of e-commerce as a transformative tool for Intra-Africa trade.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Marx Ikongbeh, Partner, Everlaw, and Tolu Aderemi, Partner, Perchstone & Graeys
Moderator: Gerald Ilukwe, Managing Director/Chief Executive, KSBC Knowledge Resources Limited
Speaker: Dr. Aloy Chife, Managing Partner/CEO, SAANA Capital
Panellists:
- Agada Apochi, MD Valucard
- Juliet Anammah, CEO, Jumia Nigeria
- Edmund Olotu, CEO,Tech Advance Limited
- MTN
- Rotimi Ogunyemi, Managing Partner, Bayo Ogunyemi & Co.
Lunch: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Break out Session 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Session 7A: – Institutionalizing Reforms in the Ease of Doing Business in Africa
This session will consider the uneven scorecard of progress recorded by African countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business. It will stress the need for uniform progression by African countries on the indices of the Ease of Doing Business and the need for them to institutionalize the required reforms.
Coordinators: Olumide Osundolire, Partner, Banwo & Ighodalo, and Funmilayo Otsemobor, Senior Associate, Aluko&Oyebode
Session Chair: Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, Special Adviser(Economic) Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeri
Panellists:
- TayoAduloju Nigerian Economic Summit Group
- Kofi Abotsi, Dean, GIMPA Law School, Achimota, Ghana
- Rachid Benmessaoud, Country Director, World Bank
- FolaOlusanya, Partner, Jackson, Etti& Edu
- Ozim Obasi, Geomarket Counsel, East and Central Africa, Baker Hughes GE
Session 7B- Establishing A Framework forResolving Intra-African Commercial Disputes
Despite conceptual differences in the various legal systems in Africa, this session will consider the inevitability of a unified continental framework for disputes resolution between commercial entitles.
Venue: Congress Hall
Coordinators: Colin Egemonye, Managing Partner, Goldsmiths Solicitors, and Adebola Sobowale, Partner, Olisa Agbakoba Legal
Session Chair: Olasupo Shasore, SAN, Partner, ALP (Africa Law Practice)
Speaker: Dr. Emilia Onyema, Snr. Lecturer, Law Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Panellists:
- Tola Oshobi, SAN, Partner, Babalakin&Co.
- Ayodeji Omotoso, Senior Partner, CLP Legal
- Ben Cisse, Associate Vice President and Senior Counsel African Finance Corporation
- Tola Onayemi, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation
- Greg Falkof, Partner, Eversheds Sutherland LLP
Also Read: Afba Reveals Hotel Partners / Provisional Program Schedule 2018 Conference Sessions
Also Read: Commencement of Registration Nigerian Bar Association 2018 Annual General Conference/
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