Victoria Tokolo
A leading commercial law firm, AELEX, is set to host the immediate past president and chairman of the board of directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, at its 20th annual lecture scheduled for November 4, 2026 in Lagos.
The lecture, with the theme, “Global Shocks, Local Impact: Battle for Survival or Opportunities to Leapfrog and Grow,” will take place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to a statement by the firm, the lecture will examine how geopolitical conflicts, changes in global trade policies and disruptions to supply chains affect African economies, as well as the opportunities such developments present for economic growth and regional integration.
Oramah, an economist and development finance expert, is expected to lead discussions on how African countries can respond to global economic uncertainties and turn external pressures into opportunities for sustainable development.
During his tenure at Afreximbank, Oramah championed initiatives aimed at strengthening intra-African trade and economic integration, including support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
The statement said the lecture would be chaired by the chairman of Ecobank’s board of directors, Mrs. Bola Adesola, while international lawyer and author, Mr. Femi Ojumu, would lead the audience dialogue.
Ojumu is an associate fellow of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and the author of Law and Geopolitics: Global Disequilibrium.
The annual lecture was established in 2005 to commemorate AELEX’s establishment in 2004. Over the years, it has provided a platform for discussions on legal, economic, political and other issues of national, regional and international significance.
The firm said the lecture series had featured prominent speakers, including Prof. Don Wallace, Judge Mervyn King SC, Prof. Patrick Lumumba, Mr. John Githongo, Prof. Frédéric Jenny, Hon. Dr Kwabena Donkor and former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Speaking on the forthcoming event, AELEX’s senior partner, Prof. Fubara Anga, SAN, said the lecture was part of the firm’s contribution to discussions on issues affecting Africa’s development.
“For twenty years, this lecture has been our way of contributing to the conversations that shape our continent. Global shocks no longer stay global, and this year we ask how Africa can turn them into an advantage. What better voice to help answer that than Prof. Oramah’s,” Anga said.
The event is expected to bring together business leaders, policymakers, legal practitioners, academics, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to examine how global economic developments are reshaping African markets and the continent’s growth prospects.
The lecture is open to members of the public, including representatives of government institutions, chambers of commerce, diplomatic missions and the business community.
AELEX is a full-service law firm with offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt in Nigeria, as well as Accra, Ghana.
