Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and South African political leader Julius Malema are expected in Enugu State on Sunday for the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
The conference, which runs from August 25 to 29 at the International Conference Centre in Enugu, will be formally declared open on August 24.
As part of pre-conference activities, NBA President Afam Osigwe on Saturday led thousands of lawyers in a health walk through major streets of Enugu. Speaking afterwards, Mr. Osigwe described the city as a befitting host and praised its atmosphere of hospitality and peace.
“Enugu is the capital of the South-east and the home of beauty, hospitality, and peace. That was why we chose Enugu after moving the conference from Port Harcourt,” he said.
“We are here to enjoy the best that the people have to offer, while also engaging in conversations about building Nigeria and positioning it as an economic giant in Africa. Our keynote speaker, Julius Malema, is already in Lagos and will arrive Enugu on Sunday, while Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will chair the opening ceremony the same day.”
Mr. Osigwe added that the NBA is determined to make this year’s gathering a memorable experience that will stand out in the association’s history.
The Enugu State Government has expressed confidence in hosting the event, citing the city’s recent infrastructural upgrades. Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, said Governor Peter Mbah’s administration had long prepared the state for major conferences such as the NBA gathering.
According to him, the government’s investments in tourism, hospitality, and transportation were designed to position Enugu as a leading destination for national and international events.
He highlighted recent initiatives, including the commissioning of 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, five modern transport terminals, and the renovation of Hotel Presidential.
“Even before the NBA’s plan to come here, we had already factored in such possibilities. Our goal is to ensure that when people visit Enugu, they move around easily, feel safe, and even want to stay longer,” Onyia explained.
Lawyers already arriving in the city have expressed excitement ahead of the conference. Favour Abraham, a delegate from Minna, Niger State, said she was delighted by Enugu’s transformation since her last visit in 2005.
“This is my second time in Enugu for an NBA conference, and the city is even more beautiful today. From the airport, we were received with CNG buses. The people are hospitable, and I look forward to a memorable experience,” she said.
The 2025 NBA conference, themed “Stand Out, Stand Tall”, is expected to attract thousands of legal practitioners from across Nigeria and beyond, with Obasanjo and Malema as key figures shaping conversations on law, governance, and Africa’s future.
