Alternative Dispute Resolution in Commercial Arbitration: Practice Trends in Lagos

This study investigates emerging practice trends in alternative dispute resolution with specific focus on commercial arbitration in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Lagos, as Nigeria's commercial capital, hosts the majority of the country's commercial arbitration activity, making it the most relevant setting for examining ADR professional practice in the Nigerian business environment. Using a practice-oriented research design, data were collected through structured interviews with 35 commercial arbitrators, legal practitioners, and business executives from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre and the Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration in Lagos. Review of arbitration case records and procedural guidelines from 2021 to 2024 provided supplementary documentary data. The theoretical framework draws from ADR theory and the commercial dispute resolution continuum model. Findings indicate that commercial arbitration in Lagos has experienced significant growth in caseload, driven partly by court congestion and the increased adoption of mandatory arbitration clauses in commercial contracts. However, the study identifies concerns about the limited diversity of arbitrator panels, high cost of arbitration services, and inconsistent enforcement of arbitral awards, which collectively reduce access to effective dispute resolution for small and medium enterprises. Recommendations include expanding the Lagos arbitrator certification pool through subsidised professional training, developing expedited arbitration procedures for small commercial disputes, and strengthening the legal framework for arbitral award enforcement in Nigeria. Keywords: alternative dispute resolution, commercial arbitration, Lagos, ADR trends, business conflict.