Lagos Saves N1.25bn Via ADR, Resolves 3,000 Petitions

Lagos State government has resolved 3,000 petitions and avoided a potential liability of over N1.25 billion through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms deployed by the Directorate of Advisory Services and Judicial Liaison.

The attorney-general and commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, disclosed during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to commemorate the third year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Pedro said the directorate prioritised alternative dispute resolution over prolonged litigation, a strategy, he noted, had restored public confidence and reduced the state government’s financial exposure.

“During the period under review, the Directorate has prioritised ADR/conflict resolution over litigation, resulting in significant financial savings for the State Government and the restoration of public trust through amicable settlement of grievances,” he said.

The Attorney-General disclosed that the directorate received about 5,000 petitions, out of which 3,000 were conclusively resolved.

He added that approximately 1,500 legal notices were issued, while officials attended about 500 disciplinary board meetings and conducted over 2,000 pre-action protocol meetings, resolving about 600 matters before they escalated into litigation.

Pedro highlighted one of the directorate’s major achievements: the successful resolution of a copyright infringement claim involving a state government agency.

According to him, strategic mediation and legal intervention reduced a potential liability exposure of over N1.26 billion to a settlement sum of just N3 million, saving the state government more than N1.25 billion.

He noted that the directorate also resolved several pension, gratuity, contractual, land, and welfare-related disputes through mediation and legal advisory interventions, thereby helping to decongest courts and maintain administrative stability.

In a related development, Pedro disclosed that the Office of the Administrator-General and Public Trustee resolved 8,112 estate-related petitions and facilitated the payment of over N769.6 million to beneficiaries between May 2023 and April 2026.

He explained that the office continued to strengthen estate administration and beneficiary protection by efficiently managing estates and deploying alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

According to him, the office received 9,826 petitions during the review period, representing an 85 per cent resolution rate after successfully concluding 8,112 matters.

Pedro further revealed that the office administered thousands of estates within Nigeria and the diaspora, secured 50 Letters of Administration, and partitioned more than 3,000 estates to ensure beneficiaries received their inheritances promptly.