The Nigerian Chambers of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre (NCC-DRC) has approved its programme of activities for 2027 and appointed Benue-born MSG alumnus, Dr Agada Elachi, SAN, as its new Chairman.
The decisions were taken at the Centre’s final quarterly council meeting of 2026, which also marked a leadership transition from Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN, CON, whose tenure oversaw the Centre’s growth and efforts to broaden the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Nigeria.
Tasked with resolving commercial disputes, the Centre is preparing for a new phase of institutional expansion following Dr Elachi’s onboarding and the approval of its 2027 programme of activities.
Dr Elachi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and dispute-resolution specialist, succeeds Kayode as Chairman.
His appointment signals continuity in the Centre’s quest to strengthen its role as a venue for arbitration, mediation, conciliation and other forms of commercial dispute resolution.
The NCC-DRC, an affiliate of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has sought to position itself as a preferred dispute-resolution hub for businesses in Abuja and beyond, with an emphasis on professional standards, stakeholder engagement and public awareness.
The Council approved a 2027 calendar of activities covering programmes, engagements and strategic initiatives intended to build institutional capacity, deepen understanding of ADR and expand professional-development opportunities for practitioners and businesses.
The plan follows the Centre’s 2026 agenda, which included training, seminars and conferences, as well as efforts to raise awareness among the media, businesses and other stakeholders.
The Council also approved applications from qualified candidates seeking admission to the NCC-DRC’s Panel of Neutrals, expanding the pool of professionals available to handle commercial disputes.
The move builds on reforms introduced earlier in 2026, when the Centre created specialised subpanels designed to categorise neutrals by qualifications, sector expertise and experience, with the aim of improving efficiency, transparency and case allocation.
The meeting reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to effective leadership, professional excellence and accessible, credible dispute-resolution mechanisms for Nigeria’s business community.
Speaking after his appointment, Dr Elachi urged Nigerians to bring their business and commercial disputes to the Centre for swift, efficient and effective resolution.
Under Dr Elachi’s leadership, the NCC-DRC is expected to continue efforts to strengthen confidence in ADR as an alternative to litigation, particularly as commercial actors seek faster and more predictable ways to resolve disputes.
Meet Dr Agada J. Elachi, SAN, FICMC, FCIArb, FSPSP
One of Nigeria’s most respected voices in law, peacebuilding and alternative dispute resolution, Dr Agada John Elachi has, from his earliest days, been seen by those around him as a young man with a calm mind, a sharp commitment to justice and a heart that always sought peace where others saw dispute and conflict.
Dr Agada attended the prestigious Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi (MSGSSM), in Benue State, Nigeria—an institution renowned for academic excellence that opens doors.
MSG is not just a school; it is a results factory. It has ranked among Nigeria’s top five secondary schools for over three decades and is ranked first in Benue State for WAEC, NECO and JAMB performance by the State Ministry of Education.
In 2003, for example, 89 per cent of its students scored five credits and above in WASSCE, while 100 per cent achieved the same in NECO.
With small classes of no more than 30 students, well-equipped science laboratories, a library and ICT centres, a child at MSG is not merely taught to pass examinations; he is prepared to compete anywhere in Nigeria and abroad.
Known for academic excellence, discipline, character and Christian moral formation that shapes leaders for life, MSG is a Catholic all-boys boarding and day school with the motto, “In God Our Strength.” It combines strict discipline, boarding life, spiritual formation and brotherhood to turn boys into responsible men.
This impact is visible in its alumni, the powerful MSGOBA, including Innocent “2Baba” Idibia; former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu; former Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa; Honourable Austin Achado of the House of Representatives; and Lawrence Utsaha.
Others include Major Generals Gabriel Ochigbano and Raymond Utsaha, Commander of the Defence Headquarters Garrison, Abuja; Group Captains Gabriel Shainjo and Olugbemi Alabi; Colonel Tunde Igbafen; Professors Jude Kur, Orseer Leke and Adoyi Omale; Isaac Itodo, Vice-Chancellor of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi; Drs Job Amodu and Joseph Ityav; former Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Joseph Enegela; and Honourables Phams Robert Idoko and Basil Anweh.
Other notable professors, doctors, lawyers, Catholic priests, politicians, sports and business leaders holding positions in government and the private sector across the world include Tarfa Makyur, Audu Olokpo, John Ogah, Hezekiah Ochaba, Engineer Ben Agbo, Oyaje Idoko, CEO of Layer3 Limited; Diego Okenyedo, Mark Acheneje, Jacob Awugo, Engineer Philip Ayakpaam, Alistair Oduah, Personal Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Oche Amali, Dr Simeon Nyikaa, retired Honourable Herman Hembe, an ADC governorship aspirant; Joseph Adamgbe and many more in their chosen fields.
Dr Agada Elachi, SAN, is a graduate of the University of Jos, where he studied Law.
He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja, where he was called to the Nigerian Bar on 28 September 1999—a date that would forever remain special to him, being both his birthday and his call day.
But Agada did not stop there. His hunger for knowledge took him to Nasarawa State University, Keffi, for a Master of Laws degree.
He further proceeded to the University of Ibadan for a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies, and later to Walden University in the United States, where he earned a PhD in Public Policy and Administration, specialising in terrorism, mediation and peace.
Dr Elachi also trained at the Clingendael Academy of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations.
In 2002, with vision and courage, he founded Greenfield Chambers in Abuja, where he remains the Managing Partner to date.
From that chamber, he built a practice covering commercial law, constitutional and political litigation, investment advisory, real estate and dispute resolution.
He is also a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-certified Capital Market Operator, advising individuals and corporations on investment and commercial matters.
But what truly defines Dr Elachi is not just the courtroom; it is the peace table.
For over two decades, he has devoted his life to alternative dispute resolution (ADR), with a special passion for mediation and arbitration.
He served as President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria (ICMC) from 2020 to 2023 and remains a Life Member of its Governing Council.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (FICMC), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) in the United Kingdom, and a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (FSPSP).
His expertise has taken him far beyond Nigeria, as a member of the Permanent Court of the Geneva International Dispute Resolution Institute (PCGIDRI) and as an arbitrator in matters involving defence contracts, power and energy, construction, oil and gas, telecommunications and real estate.
His name appears on the panels of respected institutions, including Global Mediation in the United Kingdom (GMUK), the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC), the Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse (AMDC), the Kano Multi-Door Courthouse (KMDC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Even with all these achievements, Dr Elachi has never left the classroom behind.
He serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he teaches Introduction to Alternative Dispute Resolution; Negotiation, Conciliation and Mediation; Principles and Practice of Arbitration; and International Commercial Arbitration.
He once served as an External Resource Person for Benue State University, now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.
He is also a certified trainer in mediation, arbitration, dialogue and conflict resolution, raising a new generation of peacemakers.
In leadership, he has served as Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Unity Bar, from 2014 to 2016; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pillar Microfinance Bank Limited; and a Board Member of Layer3 Limited, among several other boards and councils.
Behind all the titles and honours is a humble man from Okpoga to Abuja, from the classroom to the international stage.
The story of Dr Agada John Elachi, SAN, is the story of a man who chose peace over war, dialogue over dispute and service over self, and who continues to use the law not merely to win cases, but to heal communities.
