Nigeria’s construction industry is vital to growth and job creation but remains constrained byfragmented regulation, uneven enforcement, payment delays, and an alarming record of buildingcollapses. This paper argues for a Nigerian Construction Act that consolidates existing instrumentsand introduces targeted statutory interventions to improve safety, governance, payment certainty,and bankability. Drawing comparative lessons from the United Kingdom’s Housing Grants,Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended) and Security of Payment regimes inAustralia and Singapore, the paper proposes five co-equal, interdependent and mutuallyreinforcing legislative pillars: (a) contractor registration and grading; (b) health, safety &environmental standards, (c) governance and anti-corruption safeguards, (d) payment timelinesand statutory adjudication; and (e) skills transfer and local-content obligations. The analysis linksthese pillars to development finance norms used by multilateral development banks (MDBs) anddevelopment finance institutions (DFIs), showing how legal predictability lowers transaction costsand expands access to capital. The paper concludes with a pragmatic roadmap, stakeholderconsultation, legislative drafting, and federal-state coordination acknowledging constitutional andpolitical economy constraints. A Construction Act, tailored to Nigeria’s context, would alignincentives across clients, contractors, regulators, and financiers, reduce disputes and collapses, andstrengthen investor confidence in the built environment.

As AI becomes increasingly prevalent, questions surrounding legal responsibility for AI-related harmpersist. This article examines emerging liability theories, including strict liability, negligence, andproduct liability, through real-world scenarios like autonomous vehicle accidents and medical devicemalfunctions. The article argues for a multifaceted approach to AI liability, combining elements ofeach theory to ensure accountability, prevent harm, and promote innovation. Using a mixed-methodsapproach, the research draws on a comprehensive literature review, landmark cases, and nationaland international AI policies.

This paper critically examines the procedural framework and legal validity ofexamining witnesses abroad through Letters of Request and Special Examiners underNigerian law. Rooted in the principle of International Judicial Assistance, thesemechanisms are designed to bridge evidentiary gaps in transnational civil andcommercial litigation. This paper carefully delineates the statutory basis, proceduralsteps, and judicial discretion involved in invoking these tools under various Rules ofCourt in Nigeria. However, the paper raises profound constitutional and evidentialconcerns, contending that the procedure potentially violates the core tenets of fairhearing, oral evidence, and judicial presence as enshrined in Nigerian jurisprudence.The paper argues that such processes may amount to a form of “trial bycorrespondence,” thereby undermining the trial Judge’s sensory role in assessing thecredibility and demeanour of witnesses. It also highlights the risk of jurisdictionaloverreach, inconsistency with the composition of the trial court, and theincompatibility of foreign evidentiary procedures with Nigerian legal standards.Drawing lessons from the United Kingdom, the author proposes a progressiveapproach whereby Nigerian trial Judges may be empowered to act as SpecialExaminers abroad or employ virtual hearing options to safeguard proceduralintegrity. Ultimately, the paper calls for a cautious, constitutionally soundapplication of these international co-operation tools, urging Nigerian courts toprioritize judicial presence, evidentiary fairness, and procedural coherence.

Infrastructure has emerged as one of the indices for measuring the growth of a nation’s economyand a key decision pointer for investor looking to put their money in a country. In Nigeria, financinginfrastructure solely through annual budgets has proven unsustainable, resulting in the need forinnovative financing processes through capital markets, Private public partnerships (PPP), debtsecuritization, philanthropic funding. However, these options require sound legal, government andpolicy support. This essay shows the challenges that financing infrastructure in Nigeria faces whichincludes: currency risk exposure, inadequate legal and regulatory frameworks, weak capitalmarkets, and issues of bankability that limit investor confidence. Singapore presents a compellingcase study which would be discussed in this essay, having successfully utilized robust regulations,deep capital markets, and consistent government support to position itself as a globalinfrastructure hub and through that grow the economy. Recommendation will be made with a bidto adopt similar reforms, friendlier regulations and strengthen our institutions, with this Nigeriacan unlock innovative finance for infrastructure, stimulate private sector participation, and drivesustainable economic development.

This research provides a comprehensive assessment of the scope and enforcement of data subjectrights under Nigeria’s data protection regimes, analysing the pivotal legal transition from the NigeriaData Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019 to the more robust Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA)of 2023. It acknowledges the global trend toward stronger data protection, driven by the recognitionof digital rights as fundamental human rights, and positions Nigeria’s recent legislative efforts withinthis movement. The study investigates the legal provisions of the NDPA, which granted key rights suchas the right to be informed, the right to access, and the right to erasure, and examines theestablishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) as the primary enforcement body.It identifies a critical gap between the law’s comprehensive framework and its practicalimplementation. The research will discuss significant challenges to effective enforcement, includingthe NDPC’s institutional capacity, a widespread lack of public awareness, the high cost and complexityof judicial redress, and the practical difficulties of enforcing the law extra territorially against foreigncompanies. It concludes that while Nigeria has a strong legal foundation for data privacy, the truemeasure of its success lies in overcoming these systemic challenges. The study offers targetedrecommendations for policymakers and the NDPC to enhance institutional capacity, improve publiceducation, and streamline enforcement mechanisms, thereby ensuring that the rights of data subjectsare not just codified but are effectively protected and enforced in practice.