Supreme Court

MERCHANT BUYER MODEL, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Practice Directions 2026

Does the Appointment of a Receiver Alter the Corporate Legal Personality of a Nigerian Company? An Examination of the Supreme Court Decision in Neconde Energy Limited v FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited & 4 Ors

The Supreme Court’s decision in Neconde Energy Limited v FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited & 4 Ors clarifies that receivership may displace directors’ powers over charged assets without extinguishing the company’s separate legal personality. Where the validity or scope of the receiver-manager’s appointment is itself challenged, the company retains residual authority through its board to appoint independent counsel and protect its legal interests.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN FCIArb.(U.K)
October 2, 2026

Amendment of Judgments, Correction of Judgments, Judgments, Supreme Court

The Rationale and Jurisprudence Of Judgment Review at the Supreme Court Of Nigeria

The finality of Supreme Court judgments is fundamental to certainty in the administration of justice. As Oputa JSC famously observed in Adegoke Motors Ltd v Adesanya (1989) 13 NWLR (Pt 109) 250, ‘We are final not because we are infallible; rather we are infallible only because we are final.’ Nevertheless, the Supreme Court retains a strictly limited jurisdiction to correct accidental slips or omissions and, in exceptional circumstances, to set aside judgments affected by recognised defects such as fraud, nullity, want of jurisdiction, or fundamental procedural irregularity.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN FCIArb.(U.K)
September 1, 2026

Electronic Filing, Supreme Court, Supreme Court Practice Directions 2026

A Review of the Supreme Court (Mandatory Upload of Electronic Copies of Processes, Record of Appeal, and Other Matters) Practice Directions, 2026

The Supreme Court (Mandatory Upload of Electronic Copies of Processes, Record of Appeal, and Other Matters) Practice Directions, 2026, represent a significant step in the digitalisation of appellate justice in Nigeria. This article examines the key innovations introduced by the Practice Directions, including mandatory electronic filing, direct transmission of Records of Appeal, prescribed formatting requirements, and filing fees. It also considers the financial and technical challenges arising from the new regime and proposes measures to promote efficient implementation, procedural certainty, and access to justice.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN FCIArb.(U.K)
August 31, 2026

Binding Nature of Records, Court of APpeal, Incomplete Record of Appeal, Nigerian Appellate Procedure, Record of Appeal, Settlement of Records, Supreme Court

The Binding Force of the Record of Appeal on Courts and Litigants

The record of appeal forms the foundation of appellate adjudication in Nigeria, as appellate courts are bound to determine appeals solely on the materials transmitted by the lower court. This article examines the meaning, nature, and binding force of the record of appeal for both litigants and appellate courts, and analyses the legal implications of incomplete records and the limited circumstances under which an appellate court may proceed despite such defects.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN FCIArb.(U.K)
June 2, 2026

Supreme Court, Trademark law, Trademark Rights

Trademark Registration Is Not Absolute Immunity: Legal Lessons from Dike Geo Motors Ltd. v. Allied Signal Inc.

A prevalent misconception among practitioners and brand owners is that securing a trademark registration immunises the proprietor from all legal challenges, including allegations of infringement or passing-off. In reality, registration is but one component of a comprehensive intellectual property strategy.

O. M. Atoyebi, SAN FCIArb.(U.K)
March 16, 2026

Supreme Court

Re-Examining the Validity of Law-Firm-Signed Statements of Claim: A Critical Analysis of Olowe v. Aluko

This article critically examines the Supreme Court’s decision in Olowe & Anor v. Aluko (2025) LPELR-81320 (SC) on the validity of Statements of Claim signed in the name of a law firm rather than an individually named legal practitioner. Against the backdrop of the long-standing authority of Okafor v. Nweke, the article analyses the statutory framework of the Legal Practitioners Act and the Court’s apparent shift from strict formalism to a more purposive and pragmatic approach.

Lottery Regulation, National Lottery Act (NLA), Supreme Court

Supreme Court Strikes Down National Lottery Act: Impact on Nigeria’s Gambling Regulation

By this decision, the Supreme Court has resolved the longstanding jurisdictional conflict, affirming that the power to regulate lotteries and games of chance resides exclusively with state governments.