Stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have been urged to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution, particularly mediation, as a faster, cheaper, and more business-friendly approach to resolving industry-related conflicts.
This call was made at the Roundtable Consultative and Sensitisation Forum organised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on Wednesday in Lagos. The event, themed “Strengthening Stakeholders’ Knowledge of the ADRC’s Mandate and Promoting Efficient, Collaborative and Sustainable Dispute Resolution in Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Industry,” focused on deepening understanding of the Commission’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre.
Speaking at the event, NUPRC Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, said the Commission established the ADRC to institutionalise fairness, dialogue, and inclusivity in addressing disputes within the oil and gas sector.
Komolafe, represented by the Commission’s Secretary and Legal Adviser, Mrs Olayemi Adeboyejo, said the initiative demonstrated a shared industry resolve to address disputes constructively, adding that it aimed to foster transparency, equity, and cooperation.
“This gathering is not just another industry event; it is a reaffirmation of our collective resolve to institutionalise dialogue, equity, and inclusivity in the resolution of industry-related disputes,” Komolafe said.
He noted that the ADRC was created as a specialised, neutral, and sector-specific platform for resolving disputes in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry.
“By offering mediation, the Centre ensures timely, impartial, and cost-effective dispute resolution consistent with international best practices,” he stated.
Komolafe urged operators, host communities, and legal practitioners to embrace the ADRC as “a strategic ally in corporate governance and risk mitigation” rather than a regulatory mechanism.
“Our objective is to make ADR not the last resort but the first choice for dispute resolution in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry,” he added.
According to him, the Commission has achieved key milestones since the Centre’s creation, including inaugurating its Board of Neutrals in Lagos and Yenagoa in 2024, and hosting a capacity-building programme earlier in 2025 to align procedures with global standards.
He said the Board comprised eminent professionals such as retired judges, lawyers, and technical experts versed in ADR processes and committed to neutrality and confidentiality.
Earlier in her welcome address, Adeboyejo urged oil and gas stakeholders to embrace mediation as a commercially viable alternative to prolonged litigation.
“In Nigeria, when people say, ‘Let the court decide,’ sometimes what they really mean is, ‘See you in ten years,” she quipped.
“By that time, oil prices may have changed, the parties may have changed, and even the lawyers handling the matter may have changed chambers twice.”
She noted that under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the ADRC was established as a core pillar of the new regulatory framework to promote fairness, confidentiality, and efficiency in dispute management.
“Data from the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution shows that 80 to 90 per cent of disputes referred to mediation are successfully resolved, often within days or weeks, not years,” she said.
She stressed that the ADRC guarantees neutrality through an independent body of neutrals, joint selection and payment of mediators by both parties, and strict confidentiality.
“No journalist will get a scoop from your mediation room,” she assured. “What happens in mediation stays in mediation.”
Adeboyejo added that the Centre’s mediators possess technical knowledge of the oil and gas industry, giving them a unique advantage in resolving disputes quickly and efficiently.
“Our neutrals can distinguish between a wellhead and a headache — and that makes all the difference,” she said.
Also speaking, Vice Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria and Managing Director of Global Process and Pipeline Services, Mr Obi Uzu, said the ADRC was a step in the right direction but called for a clear legal framework to support it.
“This is a very important platform for resolving complex contractual issues. Some of our members have completed projects for two to three years without payment,” he said.
“We want to see this platform work, but we also want to be sure it will be trusted by both clients and service providers.”
He noted that for mediation to gain traction, future contracts in the industry must expressly recognise ADR mechanisms.
On his part, Chief Executive Officer and Coordinating Mediator of the Dispute Solutions Hub, Mr Adeyemi Akinsanya, described mediation as “the future of dispute resolution in the oil and gas sector,” noting that prolonged court cases destroy value and relationships.
“Most courts are congested, and cases can take twenty to thirty years to resolve,” he said. “Mediation offers a quick, efficient, and practical way of finding a win-win solution that satisfies both sides and preserves business relationships.”
Similarly, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and energy law expert, Mr Tunde Fagbohunlu, emphasised that mediation should be seen as a process of facilitation, not adjudication.
“Mediation is not about who is right or wrong; it’s about getting the parties to agree,” he said. “The regulator’s role is not punitive but facilitative.”
Fagbohunlu called for a standing inter-stakeholder mechanism to strengthen confidence in ADR and ensure continuous engagement between regulators, operators, and mediators.
Legal practitioner Ms Oyoje Bello of Green Energy described confidentiality and neutrality as “the cornerstones of effective mediation.”
“When you enter that mediation room, you’re entering a safe space. What happens there stays there. The focus is on resolution, not regulation,” she said.
Also, dispute resolution expert, Mr Fola Alade, described mediation as “justice delivered differently,” saying it saves time, protects value, and promotes collaboration.
“Litigation delays projects and increases financial and reputational costs. Every day, a project is tied up in dispute, millions are lost,” he said.
Alade advised that disputes should first go through negotiation and mediation before resorting to arbitration or litigation.
“Mediation and litigation are not rivals; they can coexist. The key is using the right tool at the right time,” he said.
A member of the NUPRC Body of Neutrals, Dr Adenike Esan, also urged industry players to make mediation their first choice.
“Businesses are not set up to resolve disputes; they are set up to achieve objectives,” she said. “When disputes arise, we must resolve them efficiently and quickly.”
Esan noted that mediators at the ADRC possess the technical expertise to understand complex petroleum issues and bridge gaps that often delay arbitration or court processes.
“Mediation may not always end in a settlement,” she added, “but even when it doesn’t, it helps parties understand each other’s positions better and sometimes paves the way for future cooperation.”
Nigeria has been listed as the sixth-largest contributor to projected global real GDP growth in 2026, according to the latest figures released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), marking a significant endorsement of Africa’s biggest economy.
Data from the IMF’s newly published World Economic Outlook indicate that Nigeria is expected to account for about 1.5 per cent of total global real GDP expansion next year. This positions the country ahead of several advanced and emerging economies and underlines its growing role in shaping worldwide economic performance.
The report highlights that emerging markets will be the main engines of global growth in 2026, as many developed economies continue to grapple with sluggish expansion, elevated interest rates, and lingering post-pandemic pressures.
Experts attribute Nigeria’s ranking to a mix of demographic momentum, increased productivity in key non-oil sectors, and gradual economic reforms aimed at restoring stability. Although Nigeria’s growth rate may appear moderate compared to some peers, analysts note that the size of its economy means even small improvements have a sizable effect on global output.
IMF data place Nigeria among a select group of countries projected to have a notable influence on global economic trends in 2026, reflecting its rising relevance beyond the African continent.
Recent gains in telecommunications, agriculture, financial services, and the creative industry, combined with efforts to boost oil output and enhance foreign exchange market operations, have helped strengthen economic activity. These advances have partly countered persistent challenges, including high inflation, currency fluctuations, and infrastructure deficits.
However, the IMF and local economists caution that maintaining this positive trajectory will require steady policy execution, higher productivity, and strategies that convert macroeconomic growth into tangible improvements in living standards.
Despite these caveats, the sixth-place ranking is being hailed as a positive signal to investors and development partners, many of whom view Nigeria’s youthful population and vast consumer base as major long-term advantages.
As global growth increasingly tilts toward emerging economies, Nigeria’s projected contribution in 2026 reinforces its standing as a key economy to watch, both within Africa and on the global stage.
In a surprising twist on global economic rankings, Nigeria has been cited among the top 10 countries contributing to global real GDP growth this year, prompting a reaction from billionaire tech magnate Elon Musk.
Data attributed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 2026 shows China and India leading global real GDP expansion, with China’s contribution estimated at roughly 26.6% and
India’s at 17.0%. Nigeria, together with other emerging economies such as Brazil and Indonesia, was listed as accounting for around 1.5 % of global growth, placing it in the top 10 contributors globally.
The ranking highlights the shifting dynamics of the world economy, as growth increasingly comes from large developing nations rather than traditional Western economic powerhouses.
Reacting to these figures on social media, Musk underscored the broader theme of changing global economic power. “The balance of power is changing,” he wrote in a brief post, linking to IMF data that emphasised the outsized roles of China and India in driving global growth — while also indirectly drawing attention to the rising contributions of other emerging markets.
Market commentators and analysts say the inclusion of Nigeria reflects both demographic momentum — Africa’s most populous nation — and a rebound in several key sectors, including telecommunications, real estate, and trade. The news has been met with enthusiasm by some observers in Nigeria, who see it as validation of long-term economic reforms and diversification efforts.
Beneath the bustling chaos of Alaba International Market lies a hidden economy built on counterfeit goods. Refurbished televisions masquerade as brand-new, logos deceive the eye, and receipts vanish without a trace. For traders, it is a lifeline, a way to support families and even sustain luxury lifestyles; for unsuspecting buyers, it often means disappointment and significant financial loss. In this investigation, CHIJIOKE IREMEKA not only exposes the underdogs behind this imitation business but also draws parallels with similar trade hubs worldwide, offering potential solutions to curb this thriving culture
“I didn’t know a television could be refurbished and painted the way a vehicle could be panel-beaten and sprayed,” said 31-year-old Dumebi Asika, recalling how he was shortchanged at Alaba International Market, Lagos, while trying to buy a 65-inch smart TV for his home.
The newlywed had recently rented a two-bedroom flat in Okota, Amuwo-Odofin, in the heart of Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos State, for N1.8m. After furnishing his living room with sofas, he set out to buy a fashionable smart television as a gift for his wife.
However, with the prices of new televisions rising across brands, the 65-inch TV he wanted was beyond his budget.
A new model was going for N620,000, while a tokunbo (used) television sold for N242,000. Reluctantly, he opted for a used set, but that decision would later lead to disappointment.
“Everything went wrong when I settled for tokunbo instead of my original choice. I went for a fairly used TV, but I was given a refurbished one instead,” he said.
How it began
What the smooth-talking seller, known only as Joe, actually handed Asika was an old TV set cleverly passed off as tokunbo.
“The TV worked perfectly for a couple of weeks, but after a month, it started overheating and randomly shutting down. Within a week, lines appeared across the screen. I was shocked,” he recalled.
Attempts to reach Joe through the contact on the receipt proved futile. Frustrated, Asika took the television to a local electrician, who delivered the unwelcome news: the set was not a genuine Samsung.
While the casing bore Samsung branding, the internal components: panel, motherboard, and power unit, were cheap, mismatched parts from unknown manufacturers.
Essentially, it was an assembled TV masquerading as a branded product.
“It was a screen problem, but repairing it would cost almost as much as the TV itself, with no guarantee it would last. I was advised to return it to the seller,” Asika explained.
Finding the seller, Joe, was complicated by ongoing demolition and rebuilding projects in the market, which had displaced many traders. When they finally met, Joe argued the television had been in perfect condition when it was sold, claiming Asika damaged it and should bear the responsibility.
“It was a heated argument. People gathered to intervene, but Joe insisted he had done nothing wrong, saying he sold the product two months earlier and couldn’t accommodate returns beyond that period.
“Eventually, I had to drop the faulty set, pay an additional N49,500, and accept a 55-inch LG TV instead of the 65-inch I wanted. I wish I had gone for my initial choice, a brand-new TV. But it was an experience that changed my perception of tokunbo items,” Asika lamented.
‘I paid for a 55-inch TV but 45-inch was given’
In a similar case, 48-year-old civil servant, Sunday Chinwike, fell victim to brand counterfeiters at Alaba Market. After saving for months to upgrade his living room TV, he was led to believe he could get a high-quality 55-inch LG smart television at a lower price.
Guided by local hustlers known as Osoafia boys, who posed as market insiders, Chinwike was led into a shop lined with neatly stacked LG-branded television cartons.
The shop assistants, later discovered to be impostors, showcased the television’s features, displayed an LG-branded remote control, and produced a seemingly convincing warranty card.
“The price was N320,000, lower than elsewhere, but not suspiciously cheap. I trusted them. I didn’t understand the meaning of being careful until I was shortchanged,” Chinwike recalled.
Trader packing a counterfeited LG television into a carton after manually stamping LG logo on it
He said he was drawn in by claims of a promotional price and LG’s excess stock.
“After a brief test in the shop, the television came on, showed bright colours and looked genuine. Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the software or the size,” the man said.
It was only after returning home that his son, Marcel, began navigating the settings and noticed anomalies.
“Some of the apps and software in the menu weren’t customised. After a series of checks, we discovered it wasn’t an LG product at all; it was a clone. We also realised it wasn’t as large as my neighbour’s television. Yet, surprisingly, most features worked, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi,” Chinwike explained.
Shocked by the discovery, father and son returned to the shop seeking a replacement, only to encounter the real shop owner, who delivered an unexpected revelation.
“By the time we arrived, the seller had disappeared. The shop owner examined the television and said it was not his product. He said he did not even stock 55-inch LG televisions. The receipt I had did not come from his store. Apparently, Osoafia hustlers had sourced the set from another vendor and sold it as genuine,” Chinwike said.
The owner advised him to exercise more caution, clarifying that the product itself was not faulty, just that it was simply not authentic.
“The original model sells for about N750,000 and is roughly 10 inches larger than the one I bought. I had to return home with the fake television, wasting my transport fare. Still, it wasn’t entirely useless, and I learnt my lesson,” he added.
Chinwike’s experience, like that of many others, highlights a fractured system in which counterfeit global brands sustain livelihoods while ordinary Nigerians bear the brunt.
The menace of counterfeiting
Across Alaba International Market, counterfeit products, including telephones, cables, electronics, and televisions, are sold daily.
LG, Samsung, and Hisense are among the global brands most commonly imitated. Investigations by Sunday PUNCH revealed that traders import generic or substandard TV panels, assemble them locally, and brand them with popular logos. To the untrained eye, the products appear authentic, with carefully fabricated cartons, substandard remote controls, start-up screens, and serial numbers.
Experts warn that until regulatory agencies, brand owners, and policymakers enforce stricter measures, Alaba’s counterfeit economy will continue to thrive, ensnaring unsuspecting buyers behind familiar logos.
Regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, have occasionally carried out raids in the market, seizing counterfeit goods and shutting down shops engaged in illegal activities.
However, enforcement has remained inconsistent. The market’s vast size, dense population, and political sensitivity mean that business often resumes almost immediately after raids. Brand owners have also faced criticism for weak local oversight and limited consumer education.
Millions lost to counterfeiting
The World Bank estimates that Nigeria loses around 15 per cent of potential GDP growth annually due to counterfeit products and related illegal trade.
Experts note that the Information and Communications Technology and electronics sectors are particularly vulnerable, with counterfeit devices contributing to poor service quality and financial losses for both consumers and original manufacturers.
Even international watchdogs have taken notice. In 2014, the Trademark Working Group, an informal collaboration of US companies facing challenges protecting their trademarks abroad, listed Alaba as one of Nigeria’s most notorious markets for counterfeit goods.
In 2018, SON revealed that Nigeria lost N15bn annually to counterfeiters.
A former SON director, John Achukwu, made this known at a stakeholders’ workshop on “Reduction of Substandard Products in Nigeria” for the South-East zone.
Today, counterfeit goods are noted to make up 40 per cent of products in the Nigerian market, causing annual economic losses exceeding $20bn.
Many of these products, particularly electronics, are imported, and according to SON, the body had previously destroyed counterfeit items worth up to N500m in single operations.
Recent accounts from buyers highlight the persistence and severity of these scams.
A banker, Wilson Ebo, for instance, said he went to Alaba to buy a second-hand Samsung home theatre, only to realise it was counterfeit.
“After testing the sets and negotiating a price of N25,000, I paid and signed the receipt without scrutiny. Later, a shop assistant told me the DVD engine worked only on a generator and suggested a swap. When I asked for a refund, the seller refused. An elderly man posing as a mediator later revealed that the receipt excluded the subwoofer and speakers. It became clear that the mediator was part of the scam. I had no choice but to pay an extra N6,000, and even then, the so-called Samsung was fake, as the logo was simply glued on it,” he said.
Fake products, cheap alternatives
Sunday PUNCH’s investigation revealed a system sustained by economic hardship and weak regulation, even as some traders defended the sale of low-quality goods as affordable alternatives for the masses.
“The goods you call fake are actually cheap alternatives for the masses. If we sold only originals, what would the poor do? How many people can afford them? Customers want affordable products because of the country’s economic situation. Everyone is just trying to survive, and you cannot blame anyone for that. Those who cannot afford the original will go for an alternative and still enjoy their lives,” argued a trader, Joshua Chidozie.
He acknowledged that alternatives are not necessarily bad but warned that some hustlers do not provide buyers with true, full details.
Osoafia boys at Alaba
“If you are not careful, they will sell that same alternative to you as the original. In the market, there are always two products: original and copy. You can get the one you want, but if you don’t know and seek a cheaper product, they will sell you a copy in place of the original,” he added.
In contrast, an electronics engineer, Kenneth Ikwo, warned that the normalisation of counterfeiting has created a dangerous marketplace where deception has become routine. He noted that while consumers are often blamed for being ‘careless,’ the sophistication of counterfeit products makes it nearly impossible for the average buyer to identify a fake.
“You can’t be more careful than the criminals. Some counterfeit TVs pass basic on-the-spot tests but fail weeks or months later, long after the seller has disappeared. Beyond financial loss, the risks are serious. Substandard electronics can cause electrical faults, fires, and health hazards. Many fake TVs lack proper insulation and voltage regulation, which can burn sockets and damage entire apartments,” Ikwo warned.
He alleged that traders often source low-quality television sets from foreign manufacturers, particularly in China, without brand logos. Once in Nigeria, he noted, local printing shops produce counterfeit brand cartons to package the products as originals—a practice recently highlighted in a viral video circulating online.
Fake LG logo syndicate exposed
Recently, a suspected syndicate was exposed inside Alaba International Market for printing LG logos on cartons for 45-inch and 55-inch televisions. A viral video obtained by Sunday PUNCH showed the suspects stamping LG logos on cartons as they prepared the televisions for sale to unsuspecting customers.
Stack_of fake television inside of fake LG cartorns at Alaba Internationa Market, Ojo. Lagos
A voiceover in the video said, “Yesterday, I was in Alaba… and I came across this guy printing the LG logo on these new TVs.”
According to the narrator, over 3,000 cartons of counterfeit televisions were discovered inside the shop, raising fresh concerns about the scale of fake electronics flooding Lagos.
Prospective buyers were urged to exercise caution, as branded packaging alone does not guarantee authenticity.
Why the menace persists
An electronics dealer in Festac town, Osita Udegbunam, attributed the persistence of counterfeiting to poverty and the struggle for survival.
“As a first-time visitor to the market, you’ll encounter Osofia hustlers who direct you to shops or claim they have exactly what you are looking for. These are mostly unemployed young men with no capital to start trading, but with extensive knowledge of the market.
“They guide buyers to sellers, earning small tokens from both parties to survive. Even married men rely on these crumbs to support their families. This system exists in major markets – electronics, foodstuffs, and more,” he said.
Udegbunam noted that similar practices are common in Alaba Rago, the livestock market, where local boys guide buyers, as well as in cattle markets.
“However, due to hunger and desperation, some have turned to crime as a faster way to survive. No authority can solve this without addressing the root causes. Create jobs, reduce hunger, and make life meaningful for the masses, and these problems will diminish. Even graduates are involved. The hungrier the population, the more people drift into scams and crime,” Udegbunam added.
Supporting this, a trader in Oshodi, Jonathan Isibor, explained that while some hustlers are genuinely trying to make a living, others deliberately prey on unsuspecting buyers.
“The bad ones usually exploit greed. They may offer an LG 42-inch LED TV for N100,000 or quote other unrealistic prices. If you fall for it, you return the next day claiming you were scammed at Alaba. These scammers operate in organised rings, and once you fall into one, escaping their trap is difficult. The best protection is to remain alert and wary of their tricks,” he advised.
Isibor added that these hustlers cut across ethnic lines, Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, but are united by a single motive: defrauding unsuspecting buyers.
“Hunger knows no tribe, and crime has no colour. A Yoruba hustler may discourage you from buying from an Igbo trader, and vice versa, but they often belong to the same ring. Their sole aim is to defraud you,” he explained.
The trader also noted that task forces oversee different sections of the market. “Once you identify where you made a transaction, report it immediately to the task force, and it will be addressed. Alaba has many genuine, hardworking traders, but in a market of this size, bad actors will always exist. Buyers must stay observant, avoid shady deals, and carefully read receipts before signing or making payment,” he added.
‘We are hustlers, not criminals’
One of the Osoafia hustlers, Peter Balogun, rejected the criminal label often attached to them, insisting that most are simply trying to survive.
“We are not criminals,” he insisted. “We hustle to feed our homes. What we do is guide customers to traders who sell the products they are looking for. When a customer buys, we get a small commission from the trader or a token from the customer.”
Balogun acknowledged that some individuals exploit the system to commit scams, but emphasised that they do not represent the majority. “Bad people are spoiling the work for us, but many of us are genuine. Unemployment and hardship have pushed many young men into Osoafia hustling. There are no jobs. This market is how we survive,” he added.
