The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced it will hold six plenaries at the 62nd Annual General Conference, scheduled to hold from August 19 to 26 2022 in Lagos.

According to a schedule of programmes released by the NBA Technical Committee on Conference Planning, on Monday, the plenaries will hold over a three-day period from August 22 to 24.

The first plenary, which holds on August 22, will have key presidential candidates in Nigeria’s forthcoming 2023 general elections speak on the topic, Democratic Transitions in 21st Century Nigeria: 2023 and Beyond.

Emphasising the importance of the presidential candidates’ plenary, the TCCP said it would present an opportunity to critically assess Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, identify key challenges which have perennially bedevilled the polity and evaluate sustainable solutions to these challenges.

TCCP Chairman, Tobenna Erojikwe, said, “With the poor state of our economy, mounting insecurity, comatose education system, decaying infrastructure, persistent inter-ethnic crises and general high cost of living, the 2023 elections may be a watershed moment for Nigeria. This session will provide a platform for the key presidential candidates in the 2023 elections to give insights on their respective roadmaps for addressing Nigeria’s key challenges and leading Nigeria’s next democratic transition.”

Also on the same day, a second plenary with the theme, Energy Transitions, Revenue Challenges for the Nigerian Federation, will be held. Speakers will examine the options open to Nigeria in meeting its growing revenue demands, how state governments are dealing with the declining federal allocations and potential alternative options for generating revenue, the global push for energy transition, as well as Nigeria’s preparedness for a future without oil.

Other plenaries slated for the events include NBA in Transition: Conversation with the NBA Presidents (August 23); Efficient Justice Delivery: A Review of the Outcomes of the Justice Sector Summit (August 23); the MacArthur Foundation Session with the theme, Impact of the ACJA on the Administration of Criminal Justice (August 24), and Health and Wellbeing (August 24).

The 2022 NBA AGC, themed Bold Transitions, will hold at the Eko Atlantic City in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, will be the Keynote Speaker.