The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law has appointed Sir Ejike Ezenwa, SAN, as Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee for its 2026 Annual Conference, scheduled to hold in Umuahia, Abia State, from November 10 to 13, 2026.
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The Section announced that the conference, one of its major annual gatherings for stakeholders in public interest and development law, will take place at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
Ezenwa, a legal practitioner, administrator and Bar leader, is expected to lead preparations for the four-day conference alongside other members of the Planning Committee.
Speaking following his appointment, Ezenwa expressed appreciation to the leadership of NBA-SPIDEL for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work closely with committee members and stakeholders “as a family” to deliver what he described as a historic, intellectually enriching and world-class conference.
He said the conference would provide a platform for meaningful discussions on contemporary issues affecting public interest and development law while promoting professional development, networking and the exchange of innovative ideas among legal practitioners, academics, policymakers, development partners and other stakeholders.
Ezenwa assured members that the committee would “leave no stone unturned” in delivering a seamless, memorable and impactful conference reflective of the vision and ideals of NBA-SPIDEL.
He also called on members of the Bar and other stakeholders to support the committee, expressing confidence that collaboration and collective commitment would make the conference one of the most successful and rewarding in the history of the Section.
In a separate statement jointly signed by NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, Prof. Uju Agomoh, and Ezenwa as Conference Planning Committee Chairman, the Section formally announced Umuahia as host city for the 2026 conference.
According to them, the gathering will bring together stakeholders from the legal profession, public interest, democracy and development sectors to examine issues considered important to Nigeria’s justice system, governance and national development.
“The conference will provide a matchless platform for stakeholders in the public interest, democracy, and development sectors to brainstorm on live issues that are both topical and germane to the growth of the polity,” they stated.
NBA-SPIDEL said participants would have opportunities to engage with leading legal practitioners, justices and judges, human rights advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders while gaining deeper insights into legal and institutional questions shaping Nigeria’s justice system, development and democratic practices.
“The conference will also provide a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and meaningful engagement on emerging issues in public interest law and practice,” the Section stated.
Beyond professional development and social activities, the conference is expected to contribute to wider conversations around the strengthening of Nigeria’s judiciary, democracy and development, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general election.
Discussions are expected to examine challenges affecting access to justice, the rule of law, judicial independence, accountability, constitutional governance, development and democratic participation, with participants expected to explore practical approaches to strengthening the country’s institutions and democratic processes.
NBA-SPIDEL said the conference would build on the Section’s traditional role of providing a platform for lawyers and other stakeholders to engage with issues extending beyond individual legal disputes to broader questions affecting society.
The Section said the gathering would bring together diverse perspectives on how the law could be deployed more effectively to protect the public interest, strengthen democratic institutions and advance national development.
The choice of Umuahia has also attracted positive reactions from some stakeholders, with the organisers noting perceptions of Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti’s administration as having attracted attention for its approach to governance.
NBA-SPIDEL described itself as central to the NBA’s public-interest mandate, noting that its objectives align with the Association’s commitment to “promoting the rule of law.”
Organisers are projecting a large turnout of lawyers and other stakeholders, with the conference expected to attract senior members of the legal profession, judges, public-interest advocates, policymakers, development-sector actors and other participants from across the country.
With Ezenwa now heading the Planning Committee, expectations are high within the Section that the November 10–13 conference will deepen legal discourse, strengthen public-interest advocacy and generate practical ideas capable of contributing to justice reform, democratic governance and national development.
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