Babalakin & Co. is proud to have successfully represented Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in a historic Supreme Court appeal against the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Security Agency (NIMASA).
The case addressed critical questions on the scope of the Nigeria LNG (Fiscal Incentives, Guarantees and Assurances) Act, Cap N.87, Laws of the Federation, 2004 vis-a-vis the various exemptions from levies and charges imposed under relevant maritime laws.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on 16 January 2026, the Supreme Court affirmed that the NLNG Act is valid, subsisting and paramount, and that NLNG is fully exempt from the fiscal impositions claimed by NIMASA under the NIMASA Act and subsidiary rules and/or legislations. Exercising its powers under Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act, the Supreme Court granted all reliefs sought by NLNG.
This decision is a major win for investor protection and regulatory certainty in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and maritime sectors.
This landmark victory was delivered by a formidable Babalakin & Co. team led by our Managing Partner, Olawale Akoni, SAN, alongside Partners Tola Oshobi, SAN, Boonyameen Babajide Lawal,SAN, ‘Seun Awonuga, SAN and Kehinde Daodu, Esq, with the support of Senior Associate Muhammad Abdulmumin, MCIArb(UK), and Associates Eseosa A. and Amina Umar.
At Babalakin & Co., we continue to deliver strategic legal solutions that protect our clients and drive impactful business outcomes. It reinforces our firm’s deep expertise in complex commercial litigation and high-stakes regulatory disputes.