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US Court Backs French Court’s Affirmation Of $70m Arbitration Award Against Nigeria
A U.S. Appeal Court court has granted Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. permission to enforce a $70 million arbitration award against Nigeria.
In a 2-1 decision on August 9, the court upheld a previous ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, affirming the enforceability of the award.
In January 2023, Judge Beryl Howell, who presided over the lower court, rejected Nigeria’s claim that the court lacked jurisdiction due to its status as a sovereign state.
Read Also: French Court Orders Seizure Of Nigerian Presidential Jets
Howell ruled that the court does have jurisdiction, noting that the United Kingdom, where the arbitration award was issued, is a signatory to the New York Convention, which governs the enforcement of international arbitration awards.
In 2010, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd., through its Chinese parent company, Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Group Co. Ltd., secured rights to develop a free trade zone in Ogun State, Nigeria.
By the following year, Zhongshan established Zhongfu International Investment (NIG) FZE, a Nigerian entity, to manage the project with the approval of the Ogun State government.
However, in July 2016, tensions arose when the investor accused the state government of abruptly attempting to terminate its role and replace it with a new manager for the free trade zone.
In response, Zhongfu initiated an investment treaty arbitration against Nigeria under the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between China and Nigeria.
The arbitrators concluded that Nigeria had violated its obligations under the China-Nigeria BIT and awarded Zhongshan approximately $70 million in compensation.
In January 2022, the Chinese company filed a case to enforce the $70 million arbitration award.
Nigeria argued for state immunity, but Sara Cockerill, a UK high court judge, dismissed the plea, stating that Nigeria had misused the time allowed for appealing arbitral awards.
In its majority judgment, the U.S. appellate court ruled that the arbitration award is enforceable under the New York Convention, as the dispute involves “persons” engaged in a legal commercial relationship.
The court further determined that the arbitration exception under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) nullified Nigeria’s claim to sovereign immunity in this case.
“For the foregoing reasons, we hold that the final award is enforceable under the New York convention because it arose out of differences between ‘persons’ that share a legal, commercial relationship,” the majority judgment reads.
“The district court therefore has jurisdiction over this case under the FSIA’s arbitration exception. The judgment of the district court is affirmed.”
The majority judgment was written by Judges Patricia Millett and Julianna Childs.
In his dissenting opinion, Judge Gregory Katsas argued that the term “persons,” as understood when the New York Convention was drafted, did not include sovereign nations.
He also asserted that the actions of Ogun State should not be imputed to Nigeria, noting that the arbitration award stems entirely from Nigeria’s sovereign acts under public international
Katsas said, “Text, legal context, and drafting history all indicate that the word ‘persons,’ as used in the New York Convention, does not include signatory nations acting as sovereigns. I respectfully dissent.
Just three days after the U.S. appeal court’s ruling, a Paris court in France ordered the seizure of three jets owned by the Nigerian government in connection with the $70 million arbitration award owed to the Chinese company.
In 2023, a UK court of appeal also held Nigeria liable for the same arbitration award in favor of the Chinese firm.
This outcome means Nigeria has now lost arbitration award cases related to the dispute in France, the U.S., and the UK.
The Nigerian government has accused the Chinese firm of trying to use deceptive tactics to gain control of the country’s offshore assets.
NEWS
FCT Police Warn Motorists Against One-Way Driving, Reject Calls From VIPs
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has warned motorists against driving against traffic, popularly known as one-way, cautioning that influential connections or calls from senior police officers and government officials will not shield offenders from prosecution.
The Command said the practice, particularly around road construction sites, diversion points and restricted routes, poses serious risks to lives and property.
SEE ALSO: Ogun Police Win Public Safety Award as Ojajuni Emerges NUJ Golden Jubilee Ambassador
In a press statement issued on Monday, November 9, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the Command was concerned about the increasing disregard for traffic regulations by motorists who deliberately drive against traffic, ignore road signs and bypass designated diversions to avoid congestion.
Adeh stressed that no individual, regardless of status, position or connections, would be exempted from the consequences of violating traffic regulations.
She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammad Sanusi, had directed the Command’s Motor Traffic Department (MOTOPOL) and all Divisional Traffic Officers (DTOs) to collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant agencies to intensify enforcement operations.
According to the statement, the directive includes the arrest and immediate prosecution of motorists caught driving against traffic or disobeying lawful traffic instructions.
The Commissioner also warned police officers involved in the enforcement exercise against exploiting the operation to extort motorists, stressing that any officer found engaging in such misconduct would face disciplinary action in line with existing police rules and regulations.
The Command urged motorists to exercise patience, obey traffic signs and follow instructions from authorised traffic officers, noting that saving a few minutes through reckless driving was not worth the risk of losing lives or damaging property.
It also called on residents to remain security-conscious and report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station.
The Command provided the following emergency contact numbers for security-related reports: 08032003913 and 08061581938.
NEWS
FCT Police Chief Inspects Worship Centres, Commends Residents for Peaceful Conduct
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, CP Ahmed Muhammad Sanusi, has inspected security deployments at churches across the territory, urging officers to maintain professionalism and vigilance during religious activities.
The inspection was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh.
Sanusi conducted the inspection on November 8, 2026, to assess the operational readiness of personnel deployed to worship centres and evaluate security arrangements for residents and worshippers.
SEE ALSO: October 1 Protests: FCT Police Call For Increased Vigilance Among Residents
The exercise followed a similar inspection of mosques across the FCT on Friday, November 6, as the Command sustained efforts to strengthen security around religious centres.
During the visits, the police commissioner charged officers to remain professional and responsive in the discharge of their duties.
He also commended residents for their peaceful and orderly conduct following mosque and church services, noting that public cooperation remained essential to maintaining security and public order across the territory.
The commissioner urged residents to continue cooperating with the police and other law enforcement agencies, remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious persons, movements or activities to the nearest police station.
He further encouraged residents to utilise the Command’s emergency lines, 08032003913 and 08061581938, to report security concerns.
Adeh said the Command’s Public Relations Office remained open and accessible to members of the public for enquiries, complaints, information and other security-related matters.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting residents and worshippers and maintaining security across the Federal Capital Territory.
NEWS
2027: Shettima Arrives in Uyo for APC Presidential Campaign Rally
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development was disclosed on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
Akwa Ibom occupies a strategic position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with major federal investments expected to strengthen infrastructure and economic activities across the state.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Shettima Arrives in Lafia to Rally Support for Tinubu’s Re-election
One of the major projects is the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which has an approximately 82.8-kilometre stretch passing through Akwa Ibom.
The project, according to the statement, “promises improved connectivity, expanded trade, greater investment and new economic opportunities for communities across the region.”
Beyond infrastructure, the administration’s interventions in education, agriculture, healthcare, youth empowerment and social protection are also designed to improve livelihoods and broaden economic participation.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) is among the initiatives highlighted, complementing Governor Umo Eno’s investments in roads, aviation, tourism and human capital development.
The statement noted that the Uyo rally provides “another opportunity to strengthen the APC’s growing political presence in the South-South and make the case for continuity in 2027.”





