The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been advised to strengthen its reliance on legal guidance in all aspects of its operations to avoid costly mistakes and minimize losses.
This call was made by Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, Managing Partner of S.P.A Ajibade and Co., while delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Annual Retreat of the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) of the Commission, which opened in Lagos on Thursday.
The four-day retreat, themed ‘Innovative Strategies for Excellent Legal Service Delivery and Conflict Resolution,’ is aimed at enhancing the capacity of NDDC’s legal personnel in supporting the Commission’s development mandate across the Niger Delta region.
Ajibade said legal services were central to the success of NDDC’s programmes in infrastructure, healthcare, education, environment, agriculture, and social welfare. He noted that each of these areas carried legal implications requiring contracts, regulatory compliance, and negotiations that must be properly managed.
‘There is no aspect of NDDC’s mandate that does not have a legal component. Each of the Commission’s projects involves contracts and regulatory considerations that require expert legal input to protect the interests of both the organisation and the Niger Delta people,’ he stated.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria cautioned that legal departments were often wrongly regarded as cost centres, whereas their true value lies in preventing losses and operational setbacks.
He stressed that integrating legal advice from the outset of projects would safeguard the Commission’s resources and ensure smoother delivery of development programmes.
He also advised NDDC legal officers to adopt pragmatic approaches in dispute resolution, including the use of mediation and arbitration where suitable, while warning against ego-driven technicalities that cause delays in litigation. ‘Negotiation, litigation and conflict resolution require a careful balancing of interests to achieve win-win outcomes,’ he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the NDDC Director of Legal Services, Victor Arenyeka, emphasized the pivotal role of the Directorate in safeguarding the Commission’s integrity and ensuring compliance with established processes. He urged officers to embrace innovation, transparency, and collaboration in discharging their duties.
‘As public officers we must recognize that embracing new strategies is not optional but essential. In so doing, we strengthen the integrity of our operations and uphold the values of accountability and excellence that define the NDDC’s mission,’ Arenyeka said.