The Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) has announced it will provide free mediation services for over 1,000 cases across the state during the upcoming Lagos Statewide Settlement Week (LSSW), scheduled to hold from July 14 to 18, 2025.
The initiative, aimed at reducing the backlog of court cases and promoting access to justice through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), was unveiled at a press briefing held on Friday in Lagos Island.
Justice Olutoyin Ipaye, Chairman of the Lagos Settlement Week Committee, said the exercise will focus on key sectors including finance, MSMEs, entertainment, grassroots sports, and public institutions. Disputes will be mediated across five High Court divisions Ikeja, TBS, Osborne, Tapa, and Ikorodu as well as local council offices in Alimosho, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, and Lagos Island.
“This is not just a week of mediation. It is a civic tool to transform access to justice and ensure peaceful, inclusive dispute resolution across all sectors,” Justice Ipaye stated.
She emphasized that the programme builds on more than a decade of ADR efforts in the state, with the LMDC recording a 280% rise in ADR referrals and recovering over ₦53.7 billion, $141 million, and €14,000 in settlements over the years.
The 2025 edition will also incorporate virtual mediation for parties unable to attend physically, as part of a broader effort to leverage technology for justice delivery. Participation is open to individuals, businesses, law firms, banks, youth groups, and government institutions. Forms are available online and at LMDC offices in Onikan, Ikeja, and Ikorodu.
Justice Ipaye called on legal professionals, civil society groups, and the media to raise awareness and promote the use of ADR as a means of ensuring social harmony and boosting investor confidence.
Echoing these sentiments, Justice Jumoke Pedro, Chairperson of the LMDC Governing Council, highlighted the centre’s impact since its establishment in 2002. According to her, the LMDC has handled over 12,500 disputes and successfully mediated more than 7,000, offering cost-effective and relationship-preserving solutions.
“The LMDC has become a model of justice reform, both in Nigeria and across Africa,” she said, noting that the centre’s approach has influenced ADR policies and inspired the creation of similar centres nationwide.
Justice Pedro praised the centre’s robust training programmes for mediators and lawyers, describing them as crucial to the sustainability of ADR in the region.
In her remarks, LMDC Director and CEO, Mrs. Achere Cole, described the upcoming Settlement Week as “one of the most transformative justice initiatives in Lagos.”
She thanked the state government and judiciary for their support, and called on the public to embrace mediation as a first step toward resolving disputes.
“This is a defining moment in our collective pursuit of justice, peace, and ease of doing business in Lagos,” Cole said.
