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Partner Tsegaye Laurendeau comments on the appeal launched by the Government of Nigeria to overturn an $11bn arbitration award at London’s High Court, in Law.com International and African Business Magazine.

Tsegaye’s comments were published in Law.com International on 24 January 2023, and can be found here, and in African Business Magazine on 25 January 2023, here.

In Law.com International, Tsegaye commented: “Leaving aside the issue of the circumstances in which the contract was procured, the colossal damages awarded to P&ID by a world-class arbitral tribunal, despite the issues that have since surfaced regarding the company itself and its ability to deliver the project, raises questions about the manner in which Nigeria’s interests were defended in the arbitration.”

In African Business Magazine, Tsegaye commented: “A further extraordinary aspect of this case is that it is alleged that this illegal activity continued in the course of the arbitration itself.”

“Assuming Nigeria is able to prove its allegations, the fact that that the arbitral tribunal awarded unusually high compensation in such circumstances could seriously undermine international arbitration’s credibility.”