Reported Simon Daniel Yusuph l journalist at wengglobal
PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State — The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has clarified that its decision to return its flagship Annual General Conference (AGC) to Port Harcourt in 2026 should not be interpreted as compensation for the relocation of the 2025 conference from Rivers State to Enugu.
NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the return is principally linked to the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State and the association’s longstanding commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law and national inclusion.
The clarification comes as thousands of lawyers and legal professionals prepare to converge on Port Harcourt for the 2026 NBA Annual General Conference, scheduled for August 22 to 29, with the theme “Beyond Limits.” The conference marks the return of the NBA’s major annual professional gathering to Rivers State after the 2025 edition was moved to Enugu following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
Osigwe’s position provides important context to the NBA’s decision, particularly against the backdrop of the controversy that followed the 2025 relocation and subsequent demands by some Rivers stakeholders for the association to refund money provided by the state government.
The NBA has maintained that the 2025 relocation was a principled response to what it considered a breakdown of constitutional democracy in Rivers State at the time, rather than a rejection of the state or its people.
Why the NBA moved the 2025 conference
The controversy dates back to March 2025, when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State amid a prolonged political crisis and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator to oversee the affairs of the state.
The decision generated significant constitutional and political debate, with the NBA among the organisations that strongly criticised the emergency administration.
In April 2025, the association announced that its 2025 Annual General Conference, originally scheduled for Port Harcourt, would instead be held in Enugu.
The NBA said the political circumstances in Rivers had made Port Harcourt an inappropriate venue for its flagship event, arguing that holding the conference there under a sole administrator would amount to tacitly endorsing what it considered unconstitutional governance.
The decision attracted praise from some groups and criticism from others.
While the NBA defended the relocation as consistent with its commitment to constitutional democracy, some Rivers stakeholders questioned why the association retained financial support previously provided by the state.
Dispute over N300 million
The relocation also generated a separate controversy involving N300 million reportedly provided by the Rivers State Government.
Rivers authorities demanded that the NBA return the money, arguing that the payment was made in connection with the planned hosting of the 2025 conference in Port Harcourt.
The Rivers State Government subsequently maintained that it had paid the money with the understanding that the state would host the event and argued that the relocation constituted a breach of that understanding. Independent Newspaper Nigeria reported the state’s demand for a refund in April 2025.
The NBA, however, disputed the characterisation of the payment as a hosting fee.
The association’s 2025 Conference Planning Committee said the money was an unconditional gift or sponsorship and was not tied to a contractual hosting right. It argued that the NBA’s annual conferences routinely receive financial support from governments, corporate organisations and other institutions.
That disagreement created an additional layer to an already politically sensitive episode.
However, Osigwe’s latest explanation suggests that the 2026 return should be viewed separately from the financial controversy surrounding the 2025 conference.
Port Harcourt return announced after democratic restoration
The NBA first announced its intention to return to Port Harcourt at its 2025 Annual General Meeting in Enugu.
On August 28, 2025, Osigwe told members that Port Harcourt would host the 2026 conference, provided that a democratically elected governor was in office when the event took place.
The condition was consistent with the NBA’s position that the 2025 relocation was triggered by the suspension of elected institutions in Rivers State.
The association’s official account of the announcement said the 2026 return was tied to the restoration of democratic governance in the state.
The NBA subsequently proceeded with preparations.
In January 2026, it formally unveiled the theme and logo for the conference and confirmed Port Harcourt as the host city.
Osigwe described the return to the South-South region as part of the NBA’s commitment to national inclusion and geographical balance.
By July, the association had also constituted a Local Organising Committee to work with the central Conference Planning Committee on arrangements covering venue management, accommodation, transportation, security and other operational requirements.
“Beyond Limits” conference
The 2026 conference is expected to combine professional development with broader discussions about law, governance, justice and national development.
The theme, “Beyond Limits,” was unveiled by Osigwe in January.
According to the NBA, the theme is intended to encourage lawyers to move beyond conventional approaches, embrace innovation and respond more decisively to changing demands in justice, governance and professional practice.
The theme also reflects the changing nature of legal practice in Nigeria.
Technology, artificial intelligence, digital evidence, cybercrime, data protection, commercial regulation and cross-border transactions are increasingly influencing the work of lawyers.
For a professional body representing Nigeria’s legal practitioners, the annual conference provides an important platform for members to examine these developments while also discussing institutional and constitutional questions affecting the country.
More than a conference venue
The decision to hold the event in Port Harcourt carries significance beyond logistics.
The NBA’s initial choice of Port Harcourt for 2025 was accompanied by strong expectations from the state’s legal community and business sector.
Annual conferences of the NBA attract thousands of lawyers and generate substantial economic activity for host cities through accommodation, transportation, hospitality, retail and other services.
The relocation to Enugu in 2025 therefore meant that businesses in Rivers State missed the economic activity associated with the event.
The return in 2026 is consequently expected to provide a boost to Port Harcourt’s hospitality and service sectors.
However, the NBA’s stated reason for the return is political and constitutional rather than economic compensation.
The association has repeatedly framed the decision in terms of democratic governance and national inclusion.
Osigwe’s position on the symbolism
For Osigwe, the return also demonstrates that the NBA’s position on Rivers was not directed at the state itself.
The association’s 2025 decision was directed at the political circumstances prevailing at the time.
With elected governance restored, the NBA has proceeded with its earlier plan to hold the conference in Port Harcourt.
This distinction is important because the 2025 relocation was interpreted by some observers as a direct rebuke of Rivers State.
The subsequent decision to return demonstrates that the association’s objection was linked to the governance structure in place during the emergency administration rather than to Port Harcourt as a conference destination.
The NBA’s official announcement in 2025 stated that the choice of Port Harcourt for 2026 was conditional upon the presence of a democratically elected governor.
A statement on constitutionalism
The NBA’s handling of the Rivers conference has also reinforced its broader role in Nigeria’s constitutional debates.
The association has frequently positioned itself as an institutional advocate for the rule of law and democratic governance.
During the 2025 Rivers crisis, it strongly opposed the suspension of elected officials and the appointment of a sole administrator.
The association’s decision to relocate its conference was therefore presented as part of its institutional response to what it viewed as constitutional concerns.
That position remains significant because the legal profession occupies a central place in debates about constitutional interpretation and institutional accountability.
For the NBA, the conference’s return under democratic governance allows it to maintain that position without abandoning its relationship with lawyers and communities in Rivers.
Economic expectations for Port Harcourt
The 2026 conference is also expected to generate considerable economic activity in Port Harcourt.
Large professional conferences typically create demand for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, event managers, security providers and other businesses.
The presence of thousands of lawyers from different parts of Nigeria and potentially international participants could provide a temporary boost to the city’s hospitality industry.
The economic benefit is likely to be particularly relevant to businesses that lost expected conference-related revenue after the 2025 relocation.
However, the NBA has not described the 2026 conference as a compensation package for the 2025 relocation.
That distinction should remain clear in public discussion.
Preparations gather pace
Preparations for the 2026 event are now well advanced.
The NBA announced in July that it had constituted its Local Organising Committee, with the committee expected to coordinate closely with the Annual General Conference Planning Committee.
The NBA said the committee would support preparations involving venue construction and management, accommodation, transportation, security and general event operations.
The NBA has also confirmed the conference dates as August 22 to 29, 2026.
The conference venue is the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, with preparations and inspection activities already under way.
Recent communication from the NBA president indicated that he had visited the venue to assess facilities and the level of readiness ahead of the conference.
The association has expressed confidence that Port Harcourt will be able to host a conference consistent with the stature of the Nigerian legal profession.
What the return means for the legal profession
For lawyers, the conference provides an opportunity to assess the state of the profession and its relationship with Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The 2026 event comes at a period of heightened debate over constitutional reform, judicial independence, electoral integrity, access to justice and institutional accountability.
The legal profession is likely to face increasing demands to respond to technological change while maintaining professional ethics and public confidence.
The NBA’s “Beyond Limits” theme therefore has significance beyond professional networking.
It challenges lawyers to consider how the profession can contribute more effectively to solving structural problems within Nigeria’s justice system and broader society.
The NBA has also placed emphasis on the welfare and professional development of younger lawyers.
In January, the association commissioned a co-working space for young lawyers at its national secretariat in Abuja, describing the facility as an intervention aimed at addressing unemployment and structural challenges facing early-career practitioners.
That focus is expected to feature prominently in the association’s wider agenda during the 2026 conference.
Rivers moves beyond the 2025 controversy
The return of the conference also provides an opportunity for the NBA and Rivers State to move beyond the disagreements that dominated the 2025 relocation.
The controversy over the N300 million payment may remain part of the public record, but the 2026 conference represents a new chapter in the relationship.
For Rivers, hosting the event offers an opportunity to demonstrate the state’s readiness to accommodate major national professional gatherings.
For the NBA, returning to Port Harcourt reinforces its position that the 2025 decision was driven by concerns about governance rather than hostility towards the state.
The development also underscores the importance of separating institutional disagreements from relationships with citizens and professional communities.
The wider democratic message
At its core, the NBA’s return to Rivers carries a broader democratic message.
The association’s decision to leave Port Harcourt in 2025 was based on its assessment that constitutional democracy had been disrupted.
Its decision to return in 2026 follows the restoration of elected government.
That sequence gives the NBA’s position a degree of consistency: the location of its flagship conference is being linked to the constitutional environment in which it operates.
Whether one agrees with the NBA’s interpretation of the 2025 emergency rule or not, the association has made democracy and constitutionalism central to its explanation of the two decisions.
That context is essential to understanding Osigwe’s clarification that the 2026 conference is not compensation.
It is, rather, the resumption of a conference arrangement interrupted by the political circumstances of 2025.
Conclusion
As Port Harcourt prepares to welcome lawyers from across Nigeria and beyond, the NBA’s 2026 Annual General Conference is emerging as both a professional gathering and a symbolic return.
The association has made clear that its decision to return to Rivers is not an admission that the 2025 relocation was a mistake, nor is it being presented as compensation for the disruption caused by that decision.
Instead, NBA President Afam Osigwe has linked the return to the restoration of democratic governance and the association’s commitment to national inclusion.
The 2026 conference will therefore carry a significance that extends beyond speeches, seminars and professional networking.
It represents the NBA’s return to a city it was compelled to leave the previous year because of a political crisis, under circumstances the association considered incompatible with its constitutional values.
With the event scheduled for August 22–29 and preparations already under way, attention will now turn to whether the NBA can deliver the “Beyond Limits” conference it has promised while using the gathering to deepen professional excellence, strengthen access to justice and reaffirm the legal profession’s role in Nigeria’s democratic development.
For Port Harcourt, it is an opportunity to host one of Nigeria’s largest professional gatherings.
For the NBA, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that its principles on constitutionalism and democracy can coexist with a renewed commitment to national engagement.
And for Nigeria’s legal community, the conference offers another platform to examine how the law profession can help the country move beyond its institutional and democratic limitations.
Sources
- Nigerian Bar Association — Port Harcourt to host 2026 Annual General Conference
- Nigerian Bar Association — NBA unveils 2026 AGC theme and logo
- The PUNCH — NBA announces 2026 conference theme
- Channels Television — NBA moves 2025 conference from Rivers over emergency rule
- The Guardian Nigeria — NBA relocates 2025 conference from Rivers to Enugu
- Premium Times — NBA moves annual conference from Rivers in protest against emergency rule
- Tribune Online — Rivers lawmaker demands refund of N300m paid for NBA conference
- Independent Newspaper Nigeria — Rivers Government demands N300m refund over NBA conference relocation
