Vincent Owhor

Vincent Owhor is a member of the Firm’s Dispute Resolution Practice Group, focusing on Commercial Litigation. He has handled significant litigation and arbitration matters and has advised and represented clients across various industries including oil and gas, telecommunications, admiralty, taxation, employment, tort and land matters, as well as representing clients’ interests in judicial review actions against the National Assembly and agencies of the Federal and State Governments in Nigeria.

His notable matters include acting for an indigenous oil exploration company in an action commenced by a leading Nigerian bank to enforce charges created by deeds of debenture following default in loan repayment obligations; acting for an indigenous company holding a participating interest in a marginal field in arbitration proceedings against its joint venture partner over the interpretation of rights under the joint venture agreements; representing an indigenous shipping and logistics company in commercial disputes with its sub-lessee, a notable international ship manufacturing company, before an arbitral tribunal sitting in London and the Federal High Court of Nigeria; undertaking the defence of two leading Nigerian banks in a multi-trillion Naira suit filed on behalf of the Nigerian Postal Service for the enforcement of the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act; representing a major indigenous telecommunications company in arbitration proceedings at the IDRC, London, commenced by an English Premier League club over a Sponsorship Agreement; and representing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation at the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal in a dispute arising from arbitration proceedings instituted by its joint venture partner in respect of deduction of tax oil under the production sharing contract.

He has also represented an indigenous offshore engineering and vessel charter company in admiralty actions at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and Lagos challenging the arrest of the company’s vessels, successfully challenging the enforcement of an arbitral award and setting aside consequent arrest orders; represented an investor in national power assets in an arbitration at the London Court of International Arbitration concerning shareholding and funding arrangements for the acquisition of a stake in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company; represented an indigenous company at the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal in a multi-million Naira claim against the receiver/managers of an insolvent company, obtaining judgment that was upheld by the Court of Appeal and is currently before the Supreme Court; represented an indigenous oil and gas company at all superior courts of record in an action challenging the bid procedure and divestment of 40% interest in three Oil Mining Leases by an international oil company; and is undertaking the defence of an indigenous oil and gas company in actions pending at the Lagos and Warri Divisions of the Federal High Court bordering on alleged pollution of land, air and waterways and seeking compensation for loss of fishing rights and devastation of the environment.

He holds an LL.M in International Commercial Arbitration from Stockholm University, Sweden, a B.L from the Nigerian Law School and an LL.B from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). He is a co-author of The Tax Disputes Litigation Review (11th Edition) – Nigeria.