Frontline maritime lawyer and Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association (IBA) Bar Issues Commission (BIC), Barr. Mfon Ekong Usoro, has issued an urgent call for seamless subnational and federal collaboration to safeguard domestic legal markets in international trade agreements.
In a session monitored virtually by Sooth News at the ongoing 2026 IBA Annual Conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Usoro made a compelling case for regulatory alignment amid rapidly shifting global frameworks.
Usoro, a leading voice on the BIC Committee on International Trade in Legal Services (BIC ITILS), specifically challenged the Attorney General of Lagos State to actively engage the newly appointed Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. She emphasized that state law officers must forge continuous, strategic alliances with the federal trade ministry to influence the regulatory architectures governing cross-border legal frameworks, ultimately securing a win-win outcome for Nigerian practitioners.
“The more people you have, the more alignment you have, the greater the likelihood of your position succeeding,” Usoro stated, stressing that securing a permanent seat on the government’s official trade negotiating team is critical for the legal profession.
The pioneer Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) further advised African subregions to aggressively align with like-minded nations to establish unified continental policy positions before entering broader bilateral trade negotiations.
According to Usoro, the extensive regulatory and market-access expertise housed within the BIC ITILS committee stands fully ready to guide the government through complex global trade architectures. The 2026 IBA Annual Conference continues in Denmark through October 9, drawing over 5,000 legal professionals from 130 jurisdictions.
