Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators

What Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators does

The Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb) is a non-profit professional membership organization headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, founded in 1979 under the leadership of the late Justice Bola Ajibola (former Attorney General of Nigeria and Judge of the World Court at The Hague) and incorporated in 1988 under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. It operates as the premier alternative dispute resolution (ADR) institution in Sub-Saharan Africa, offering professional certifications (ACArb, MCArb, FCArb designations), structured training programmes, and a full-service Arbitration/ADR Centre (AADRC) with state-of-the-art hearing facilities in Lagos and Abuja. The institute maintains a Panel of Neutrals directory enabling parties and counsel to identify arbitrators and mediators by specialism, location, language, and availability.

NICArb's core technology comprises a case administration platform with virtual hearing capabilities, including fully equipped meeting rooms featuring video conferencing, 4K video recording, transcription services, smart desk microphones, and touchscreen whiteboards for hybrid arbitration and mediation sessions. The product portfolio spans seven training programmes (Associates Module 1&2, Associates Module 2, MCArb, FCArb, Mediation Skills, Specialized Training, and Certified Arbitral Registrar and Secretary), four individual membership tiers (Associate, Member, Qualified Mediator, Fellow), five corporate membership tiers (Standard ₦250K to Diamond ₦4M based on annual turnover), an annual flagship conference, the peer-reviewed NICArb Journal of Arbitration and ADR, and ADR case administration services including arbitrator appointments and hearing room rentals.

The institute generates revenue across five streams: recurring individual and corporate membership subscriptions, professional training programme fees, conference ticket sales (₦60,000-₦200,000 per pass), journal publication sales (₦2,000-₦4,000 per copy), and transaction-based ADR case administration fees. Its customer base spans legal professionals and arbitrators, corporate organizations across banking, oil and gas, aviation, maritime, and regulatory sectors, government agencies (Central Bank of Nigeria, NUPRC, NIMASA, NCAA, NDIC, SON, NSE, Federal Ministry of Water), and parties seeking dispute resolution. With over 7,000 professional members across 18 active branches, NICArb positions itself as the institutional anchor for ADR practice in Nigeria, supported by strategic international partnerships with CIETAC and UNCITRAL and led by a Governing Council composed of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and distinguished jurists.

Name

Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators

Legal name

Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators

Website

https://nicarb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb) is a non-profit professional membership organization founded in 1979, providing alternative dispute resolution training, certification (ACArb/MCArb/FCArb designations), institutional arbitration, and ADR centre services to legal professionals, corporate organizations, and government agencies across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

Keywords

• Arbitration training programs
• ADR professional certification
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Chartered arbitrator accreditation
• Mediation training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual subscriptions for individual members at Associate (ACArb), Member (MCArb), Qualified Mediator, and Fellow (FCArb) tiers. Also includes corporate membership tiers (Standard, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond) with annual fees ranging from ₦250,000 to ₦4,000,000.
2. Professional Training Programs: Revenue from training programs including Associates Training Module 1&2 (5 days), Associates Training Module 2 (4 days), Membership Training Programme (MCArb), Fellowship Training Programme (FCArb), Mediation Skills Training Programme (4-6 days), and Specialized Training Programme.
3. Annual Conference Revenue: Full Conference Pass at ₦200,000 (in person) and ₦70,000 (virtual); Members Conference Pass at ₦170,000 (in person) and ₦60,000 (virtual).
4. Journal Publications: Sale of NICArb Journal of Arbitration and ADR publications at varying price points (₦2,000-₦4,000 depending on year).
5. ADR Case Administration: Fees for administering arbitration proceedings including arbitrator appointment requests, case submissions, and hearing room rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators is a professional membership body that accredits, trains, and certifies arbitrators and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioners in Nigeria. It delivers chartered membership designations, structured training courses and certification examinations in arbitration and mediation, administers ADR proceedings through its roster of accredited neutrals, publishes a professional journal, and convenes conferences and continuing professional development events for the dispute resolution community.

Product overview

NICArb offers a comprehensive suite of ADR services centered around its Arbitration/ADR Centre, which provides institutional arbitration for domestic and international matters. The core training portfolio includes seven professional certification programmes: Associates Training Module 1&2 (ACArb), Associates Training Module 2 (ACArb), Membership Training Programme (MCArb), Fellowship Training Programme (FCArb), Mediation Skills Training Programme, Specialized Training Programme, and Certified Arbitral Registrar and Secretary. Membership spans four tiers: Associate Member (ACArb), Member (MCArb), Qualified Mediator, and Fellow Member (FCArb). The institute also publishes the NICArb Journal of Arbitration and ADR and maintains a Panel of Neutrals directory. Corporate membership tiers (Standard, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond) serve organisations seeking ADR expertise. Additional offerings include annual conferences, podcasts, blogs, and fully equipped hearing facilities in Lagos and Abuja.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chartered Arbitrator and ADR Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 professionals trained and certified across various ADR specializations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zenith BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for NICArb Annual Conference 2026. Zenith Bank supports the premier arbitration and ADR conference in Africa as a flagship sponsor, gaining brand exposure and networking opportunities with over 450+ attendees from the dispute resolution community.
• Bank of IndustryminorOthersGovernment financial institution that has sent employees for NICArb professional training programs in arbitration and ADR practices.
• Central Bank of NigeriaminorOthersCentral bank regulator that has utilized NICArb training services for its professionals in dispute resolution and arbitration.
• CIETAC (China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CIETAC, featured as opening panel speaker at NICArb Conference 2026, representing international arbitration cooperation between China and Nigeria's ADR institutions.
• UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, featured as keynote speaker at NICArb Conference 2026. NICArb participated in UNCITRAL's 56th Commission Session in Vienna in 2023, demonstrating commitment to international arbitration standards.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA): Premier London-based international arbitration institution with global caseload. Comparable as a competing institutional ADR centre offering arbitration rules, case administration, and arbitrator appointment for commercial disputes.
• Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC): Middle East and Africa-focused institutional arbitration centre. Comparable as an institutional arbitration provider serving commercial disputes across emerging markets, with overlapping target customer base in oil & gas and infrastructure.
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC): Asia-Pacific institutional arbitration and mediation centre with established Africa-related caseload. Comparable as an institutional ADR provider offering hearings facilities, administered arbitration, and arbitrator appointment services.
• China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC): China's premier international commercial arbitration commission. Strategic international cooperation partner of NICArb (CIETAC Vice Chairman featured at 2026 conference); operates the same institutional arbitration and case administration model.
• Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC): Leading Asian-seated international arbitration institution frequently chosen for Africa-related disputes. Comparable institutional ADR service model and competing for the same pool of high-value cross-border matters involving African parties.
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Court of Arbitration: The world's largest and oldest institutional arbitration provider, administering commercial disputes globally. Comparable as a competing institutional ADR centre offering case administration, arbitrator appointment, and rules-based arbitration services.
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb): Global chartered body for arbitrators and adjudicators, headquartered in the UK. NICArb is described as a trademark of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Ltd/Gte, making it the closest institutional peer and parent-branded affiliate in the same chartered-arbitrator accreditation ecosystem.

Direct peers

• African Arbitration Association: Continental professional body promoting arbitration across Africa. Closest peer in mission and continental scope to NICArb, both focused on capacity-building, professional standards, and harmonisation of ADR practice across African jurisdictions.
• Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA): Nigeria-domiciled institutional arbitration centre providing arbitration and mediation services in Lagos. Operates in the same Nigerian market and overlapping customer base as NICArb's ADR Centre, competing for in-country dispute administration.

Regional players

• Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA): Africa-headquartered international arbitration centre affiliated with the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization. Competes with NICArb as an alternative African institutional seat for commercial arbitration cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/nicarb
• Xx.com/nicarborg
• Facebookfacebook.com/NICArbOrgNg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nicarborgng

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators