₦19.4bn arbitration award: SANEF petitions Lagos Chief Judge to stall enforcement

A fresh controversy has erupted over the enforcement of a ₦19.4 billion arbitral award granted in favour of Hanson Dredging & Marine Services Ltd., as SANEF Creatives Ltd.—the respondent—has filed an appeal and petitioned the Chief Judge of Lagos State in a bid to stall proceedings.

The dispute stems from a dredging and reclamation contract at the National Theatre in Lagos, which Hanson claims was unlawfully terminated by SANEF, a firm reportedly backed by the Bankers’ Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The contract, signed in November 2021, was cut short in May 2022, with SANEF citing expiration of the 36-week project timeline, despite delays caused by COVID-19 and administrative bottlenecks.

Hanson, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dr. Charles Mekwunye, initiated arbitration in 2023 and further accused the CBN—then under former Governor Godwin Emefiele—of unlawfully debiting ₦4.2 billion from its account. In a ruling delivered on December 30, 2024, Sole Arbitrator Ayo Fanimokun held SANEF liable for wrongful termination after Hanson had completed over 60% of the contract work.

Hanson subsequently moved to enforce the ₦19.4 billion arbitral award via Suit No. LD/6707GCM/2023, now before Justice O. A. Sunmonu of the Lagos State High Court, following its transfer by the Chief Judge from Justice Olukolu.

However, SANEF, through its legal team led by former NBA President Paul Usoro (SAN), filed two additional suits—Suit Nos. LD/8056GCM/2024 and LD/9221GCM/2025—both tied to the same dispute. The latest suit is currently before Justice Olukolu.

Usoro’s firm has petitioned the Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, requesting that all three cases be consolidated before Justice Olukolu and that Justice Sunmonu be excluded from handling the matter.

In a May 26, 2025 petition, SANEF accused Justice Sunmonu of judicial bias and procedural overreach, citing alleged ambition to preside over all related suits despite a pending application for consolidation.

The petition criticized Justice Sunmonu for purportedly insisting that the suit before Justice Olukolu be transferred to his court.

Usoro argued that such actions violated Order 41 Rule 7(2) of the Lagos High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, which vests consolidation powers solely in the Chief Judge.

Hanson Dredging has firmly rejected SANEF’s claims. In a counter-response, Dr. Mekwunye condemned the petition as misleading and “scandalous,” asserting that it aims to intimidate the judiciary and derail justice.

According to Mekwunye, Usoro’s decision to personally defend the petition in open court on May 27, 2025, was a blatant effort to pressure the judiciary.

He criticized the use of terms such as “naked ambition” and “judicial tyranny” in the petition, saying they insult the integrity of the judiciary and the office of the judge.

He further accused SANEF of engaging in “forum shopping” and abusing court processes by initiating multiple suits over the same contract.

Mekwunye argued that SANEF’s request for consolidation was not genuine but rather a tactical delay to avoid enforcement of the arbitral award.

Citing legal precedents, Mekwunye emphasized that consolidation requires mutual agreement and should not be granted where it risks creating confusion or injustice.

He also refuted SANEF’s portrayal of the April 17, 2025 court session, clarifying that it involved Hanson’s enforcement motion and SANEF’s preliminary objection—not any directive for consolidation.

Mekwunye noted that SANEF’s counsel sought an adjournment based on their fresh suit to set aside the arbitral award and a pending petition to the Chief Judge.

He argued that such petitions do not constitute a legal basis to delay court proceedings.

He also criticized SANEF’s alleged manipulation of the judicial process, saying no litigant has the right to choose which judge hears their case.

Judicial assignment, he stressed, is the exclusive responsibility of the Chief Judge.

Appealing to the Chief Judge, Mekwunye wrote: “We urge Your Lordship not to lend the weight of your exalted office to a party that is acting as a law unto itself—filing multiple suits on the same issue, attempting to handpick judges, and hurling insults at judicial officers.”

The high-stakes legal battle continues as the Lagos judiciary faces mounting pressure to maintain its impartiality in what is becoming one of the most closely-watched commercial disputes in recent years.