Nigeria Defeats UK Firm in $6.2m International Legal Battle

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Nigeria has won an international arbitration case against European Dynamics UK Ltd, saving the country from a $6.2 million (₦9.3 billion) payout.

The final ruling dismissed the contractor’s claims regarding a national e-Procurement project managed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The UK firm sought $2.4 million for alleged milestones, $3 million in damages, and $800,000 in settlement fees. The project, backed by the World Bank, was intended to digitize federal procurement but stalled due to disputes over technical execution and contractual obligations.

A decisive factor was the Bureau’s User Acceptance Test, which revealed critical functional errors in the contractor’s software. The tribunal ruled that as the technical expert, the vendor was responsible for meeting all operational requirements at no extra cost to the government.

BPP Director-General Dr. Adebowale Adedokun noted that while this vendor had previously won similar cases against other African nations, Nigeria is the first to defeat them. He credited the victory to the expertise of the Nigerian legal team led by Johnson & Wilner LLP.

Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi hailed the win, stating it signals that it is “no longer business as usual” for international contractors.

He emphasized that the victory demonstrates Nigeria’s resolve to protect its resources through institutional strength and legal brilliance.

The government plans to incorporate lessons from this case into future e-procurement reforms to ensure stricter contract oversight. The saved billions will now be redirected toward national development rather than settling questionable legal claims.