In the latticework of concrete and steel that binds Africa’s rapidly expanding infrastructure landscape, Ngo-Martins Okonmah stands out as a relentless architect of a movement; one built from expertise, ambition, and the urgent conviction that Africa’s legal minds deserve to take center stage in the continent’s development story.
From his base in Lagos, Ngo-Martins has become one of the foremost voices championing the institutionalization of construction law as a discipline across the continent. His trajectory, from a general commercial disputes lawyer to one of Africa’s few recognized specialists in construction law, mirrors the very evolution he is now spearheading. The founder of the Africa Construction Law (ACL) and the driving force behind the ACL Training Academy, Ngo-Martins has not only carved out a niche in a traditionally overlooked legal area; he has laid the groundwork for others to do the same.
Construction law in Africa has often existed in the shadow of more glamorous or better-established fields. It was lumped in with project finance, dismissed as too technical, or outsourced entirely to foreign law firms. Ngo-Martins wants to change that.
The ACL, now a rapidly expanding pan-African organisation, was born out of a simple yet compelling realisation that the growing complexity and ambition of infrastructure delivery in Africa demanded a legal and institutional response that is not only homegrown and globally credible, but also capable of addressing the fragmentation within the African construction industry.
One of the core drivers of ACL has been the need to promote the Africanization of construction and infrastructure disputes by elevating African legal and technical experts ensuring that those who understand the unique regional, commercial, and regulatory contexts are meaningfully involved in shaping, advising on, and resolving Africa’s infrastructure challenges.
This vision, however, did not arrive fully formed. It emerged from the crucible of personal disillusionment and professional redefinition. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2008, Ngo-Martins began his legal career in the firm of Ajumogobia & Okeke before moving to Aluko & Oyebode, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms.
It is here where he honed his skills across a wide spectrum of commercial disputes after encountering slow-moving court systems and the creeping sense of futility began to erode his enthusiasm. Seeking a deeper impact, he pivoted toward arbitration and, eventually, construction law.
The turning point came during a secondment at the UK-based law firm of Pinsent Masons, an international law firm. Immersed in the rigors of specialist practice in construction law, he discovered a world of technical precision and multidisciplinary collaboration that lit a spark.
He followed this instinct to King’s College London, where he earned a master’s degree in construction law and dispute resolution. There he found himself in classrooms not just with lawyers, but with engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers, contractors and financiers; all grappling with the shared challenges of delivering infrastructure. The experience was, by his own description, transformative.
At the heart of ACL’s mission is capacity building, a phrase that can seem abstract until one hears it applied with the urgency and clarity that Ngo-Martins brings. In 2023, ACL launched the ACL Training Academy, a structured initiative designed to demystify and disseminate the fundamentals of construction law and dispute resolution to professionals across disciplines.
Now entering its third year, the flagship course—an “Introduction to Construction Law and Dispute Resolution” developed in collaboration with King’s College London and global consultancy HKA, has trained nearly 200 participants, cultivating a new generation of leaders who will define the trajectory of Africa’s construction landscape.
Ngo-Martins’ work is rooted in an understanding of law not as a tool of abstraction, but as a practical instrument of development. For him, expertise in construction law is not simply academic, it is essential. Projects delayed, budgets bloated, contracts misunderstood: these are not distant bureaucratic failures, but human and economic costs that can, and should, be mitigated by sound legal guidance.
His advocacy is driven by a belief that African lawyers should not merely be peripheral advisors to foreign-led megaprojects, but integral to every phase; from contract drafting to dispute resolution.
Ngo-Martins is also trying to seal an epistemological gap in Africa. The statistical imbalance in international arbitration, where African disputes are rarely argued or adjudicated by Africans, is not just about representation. It is a consequence of systemic underinvestment in local expertise.
Ngo-Martins has witnessed this firsthand, particularly in the absence of homegrown expert support services. Delay analysts, quantum experts — roles essential to resolving construction disputes — are frequently imported from Europe or North America, with local talent overlooked or untrained. This is a narrative he is determined to rewrite. His ambition is not just to train practitioners, but to recalibrate how the industry views expertise.
When he returned to Nigeria, Ngo-Martins brought more than academic credentials. He brought a mission. He began to build a construction law practice within his firm. However, it was the creation of ACL that marked the shift from individual practitioner to movement leader.
“Our goal is to raise awareness and develop local expertise to ensure we have more well-equipped, homegrown professionals capable of supporting and handling these types of disputes. We strive for excellence in everything we do, whether it’s through the conferences we host, the training we provide, or the care we deliver. Excellence defines every aspect of our work,” he told The Kenyan Wall Street in a recent interview.
Overcoming Barriers
Reflecting on the early stages of building a career in construction law, it’s clear there were numerous moments of self-doubt and significant barriers to overcome. One of the first and most striking challenges was the fragmentation within the construction industry itself.
It was extremely difficult to bring various professionals such as quantity surveyors, engineers, and architects together toward a unified goal. Each group preferred to operate within its own silo, making collaboration complex and often resistant. Conversations with leaders in professional bodies revealed a hesitancy and even skepticism toward cross-disciplinary engagement.
“However, I had the benefit of international exposure, particularly from my time in the UK, where the construction industry operates in a much more integrated manner. There, construction professionals understand the importance of collaboration in delivering successful projects,” Ngo-Martins said.
Construction lawyers are well-versed in trends, legal developments, and the standard forms of contracts essential to construction. Likewise, expert support services such as delay analysts, quantum experts, and technical specialists are embedded in the process, particularly in dispute resolution. The experience was eye-opening for him and underscored how far the continent needed to go.
Another major hurdle was the lack of recognition of construction law as a distinct and valuable legal discipline.
“At the time, very few people knew what a construction lawyer did. When I introduced myself as one, I was often met with confusion or dismissiveness. Many advised me to redirect my focus to more ‘trendy’ legal areas like oil and gas,” he recounted.
“But I saw construction law not only as viable but as critical especially given the volume and scale of infrastructure projects unfolding across Africa. Without robust legal frameworks and expert legal support, these projects are vulnerable to failure.”
This experience parallels what he encountered in the early days of his career in arbitration. Back then, arbitration was met with similar skepticism especially from litigation lawyers who saw it as a threat to their domain. Even judges were resistant, perceiving arbitration as an attempt to oust judicial authority.
However, as the understanding of arbitration grew, acceptance followed. Lawyers adapted, acquiring arbitration skills, and judges recognized its value in alleviating overloaded court systems. Arbitration is now viewed as complementary to litigation, enhancing access to justice.
“I believe construction law is on a similar trajectory. Although we are not fully there yet, the discipline is gaining traction in various African jurisdictions. As knowledge grows, so does the ecosystem of professionals, from construction lawyers to expert consultants,” Ngo-Martins said.
“The more stakeholders understand how projects work and the value construction law brings, the more the industry benefits. It enables better project outcomes, stronger risk management, and timely dispute resolution.”
This shift is vital to addressing persistent problems that plague projects on the continent. Cost overruns are rampant as projects initially budgeted often end up costing nearly twice that by the time they’re completed. Delays are common, with timelines stretching far beyond initial projections. These challenges can be mitigated when legal and technical experts are embedded from the start, ensuring better management of scope, time, quality, and cost.
Despite the initial resistance and many personal and professional hurdles, Ngo-Martins remains convinced that construction law is not only relevant but essential to Africa’s development narrative. For him, construction is more than an industry.
It’s the engine room of transformation and the construction law discipline is its playbook. Transforming the practice in Africa will strengthen the bedrock for investment in this cost-heavy enterprise.
Career Highlights
The turning point, he recalls vividly, came during a major ICC arbitration stemming from an affordable housing project in the Caribbean in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The dispute was complex, international, and legally intense; built around issues ranging from delay analysis and variation claims to the early termination of contract and quantum assessments.
That experience cemented his belief that not only was construction law viable, it was essential. Since then, he’s handled numerous high-profile disputes across sectors, including a major oil pipeline arbitration in Nigeria, and provided legal support for critical infrastructure projects ranging from airports to raw material value chains.
“It has established me as an authority on the continent in construction law and disputes. The number of direct appointments I receive from clients — not just institutions — suggests market recognition,” he beams with pride.
This recognition has been more than symbolic. It translated into real professional milestones: being made a partner at his law firm and seeing the ACL grow into a continent-wide movement.
The number of people attending ACL events — even at significant cost — and the partners, sponsors, and volunteers who now rally behind the ACL is a validation of the vision.
Even more meaningful than accolades, perhaps, is the deeper sense of purpose. For him, construction law is not just a career. It’s a tool of transformation.
Building the Vision
When Ngo-Martins launched the ACL initiative, he faced the familiar doubts of any founder — compounded by the challenge of introducing a niche legal discipline across a continent. “We kept questioning if we were on the right path,” he recalls.
The first ACL conference took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a bold move to in-person events and, later, a major relocation from Lagos to Nairobi. Each phase brought its own hurdles; from logistics to proving the value of construction law in jurisdictions where the field is largely underdeveloped.
But ACL’s mission quickly gained traction. Its training academy now provides bespoke legal education, so far to over 200 construction stakeholders, and its annual conference consistently draws praise for its relevant content. ACL’s thought leadership continues to grow through the ACL Review, which has recently published jurisdictional chapters on South Africa and Kenya and is freely accessible to all registered ACL members. These initiatives, alongside its conferences, regional events in Dubai, London and Paris have helped position ACL as a leading forum for legal education, knowledge sharing, and the promotion of African excellence in construction law and dispute resolution in Africa.
Looking ahead, he sees potential not only within construction law but also in how the field evolves. With trends like AI, sustainable construction, and climate-focused regulations reshaping the legal landscape.
“We must evolve as the world evolves,” he says, underscoring the need for resilient, futuristic legal frameworks for Africa’s infrastructure.
Strengthening Systems
Governments play a crucial role in shaping the regulatory environment for construction projects. While Africa Construction Law doesn’t directly lobby governments, it contributes through thought leadership. Post-conference technical papers, for example, are shared with public institutions to influence policy and regulatory improvements.
Opportunities Exist
Ngo-Martins encourages young and aspiring professionals to consider a future in construction law, a field poised for growth due to Africa’s massive infrastructure needs. Opportunities abound not just for lawyers, but for all professionals in the sector.
He stresses the importance of building knowledge and capacity to seize these opportunities. Reflecting on his journey, he credits mentors—including his lawyer parents—for instilling values and offering guidance throughout his career.
“As long as infrastructure is being developed on the continent, there will always be room for professionals in construction law—what matters is building the capacity to rise to the occasion,” Ngo-Martins said.