INFLUENCE OF INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION INSTITUTIONS ON NIGERIA’S DOMESTIC LEGAL SYSTEM: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

International arbitration has emerged as a dominant mechanism for the resolution of cross-border commercial and investment disputes, exerting considerable influence on domestic legal systems worldwide. In Nigeria, the growing reliance on international arbitration institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has significantly shaped arbitration jurisprudence, legislative reforms, and judicial attitudes. This article critically examines the influence of international arbitration institutions on Nigeria’s domestic legal system. Employing a doctrinal and analytical methodology, the paper interrogates the extent to which institutional arbitration rules, international conventions, and enforcement mechanisms have transformed Nigeria’s arbitration framework. It argues that while international arbitration institutions have strengthened party autonomy, procedural efficiency, and enforceability of arbitral awards in Nigeria, their influence has also exposed structural tensions relating to judicial intervention, sovereignty concerns, and uneven institutional capacity. The article concludes that the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 represents a decisive step towards harmonizing Nigeria’s arbitration regime with international best practices, but sustained judicial discipline, capacity-building, and support for domestic arbitral institutions remain critical to consolidating these gains.