The Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC) 2025 in Enugu will on Monday, August 25, 2025, from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM, host a high-level breakout session on the theme “Legal Ethics and Globalization.”
The session will examine the evolving face of global ethics as the legal profession navigates new forces of change from globalization and technology to politics, regulation, and the responsibilities of the legal ethics community. It promises to be a bold and timely reflection on how lawyers can safeguard integrity while embracing innovation in a rapidly transforming world.
Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba (JCA), Justice of the Court of Appeal, will moderate the discussion. Elevated in 2024 after a distinguished eight-and-a-half-year tenure at the Federal High Court, Justice Dimgba is renowned for his scholarly depth, international exposure, and trailblazing contributions to legal development.
With degrees from the University of Nigeria, Oxford University, and a PhD from the University of the West of England, he has authored widely and represented Nigeria in global legal forums such as SIFOCC and WIPO. His moderation is expected to bring both judicial clarity and academic rigour to the session.
Hon. Justice Lotanna C. Alinnor, Judge of the High Court of Imo State, will serve as a panelist. With an accomplished background spanning dispute resolution and corporate practice before his elevation to the bench, Justice Alinnor is celebrated for his well-researched judgments and commitment to service. His voice at this session will bring practical judicial perspectives on how globalization is reshaping ethics in the courtroom and beyond.
Prof. Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, Professor of Law at Usmanu Danfodiyo University and Head of the Department of Private and Business Law, adds a strong academic dimension to the panel. Elevated as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2021, Prof. Abdullahi has authored 16 books and edited dozens more. With expertise in international law and jurisprudence, and as a recipient of multiple academic awards, he is expected to speak with authority on the challenges and opportunities of harmonizing Nigerian legal ethics with global standards.
Barrister Rantiade Benson-Idahosa, Founder of Pathfinders Justice Initiative, brings an advocacy-driven approach to the conversation. A global thought leader on women’s empowerment and gender justice, she has worked with the United Nations, governments, and international organizations, and was named a 2023 U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Hero. With her background in defending lawyers in malpractice claims and shaping reforms, her contributions will illuminate the intersection of ethics, human rights, and globalization.
Mr. Augustine Okafor, Partner at KENNA, completes the panel with a pragmatic commercial lens. With expertise spanning dispute resolution, maritime, corporate finance, telecommunications, and multijurisdictional litigation, Okafor is celebrated for his analytical depth and case strategy. His insights will focus on how external pressures — from international commerce to cross-border disputes — challenge and redefine ethical obligations for practitioners in today’s interconnected legal market.
As the NBA-AGC 2025 continues to challenge delegates to “Stand Out, Stand Tall,” this session on “Legal Ethics and Globalization” is positioned to provide both reflective wisdom and forward-looking strategies. It will assess Nigeria’s progress, identify challenges, and chart opportunities for the Bar to thrive ethically in an era where the global and the local are increasingly inseparable.
