29/09/2026
For businesses involved in high-value commercial transactions, securing urgent relief before a dispute is fully determined can be critical. In arbitration, interim measures help preserve the status quo, prevent asset dissipation, and protect evidence pending the dispute’s final determination.
Before 2023, Nigeria’s arbitration framework did not provide a statutory mechanism for obtaining urgent interim relief before the constitution of an arbitral tribunal. The Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 (AMA) changed this position by expressly recognising emergency arbitrators and establishing a framework for obtaining urgent interim relief before the main tribunal is constituted.
In this article, Senior Associate, Tochukwu Amaefule, and Associates, Stanley Umezuruike and Confidence Edeh, discuss the AMA’s framework for emergency arbitration, including the appointment and powers of emergency arbitrators, the conditions for granting interim measures and their enforcement. They also consider the application of emergency relief across the construction, energy, banking and finance, and transportation sectors, and the essential considerations for businesses seeking urgent protection.
