Nigeria's Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023: Implications for Dispute Resolution in PPPS Road Infrastructure Projects in Nigeria – A Systematic Review

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become critical mechanisms for addressing Nigeria's infrastructure deficit, yet the complex nature of road PPPs makes them prone to disputes that undermine project viability. Nigeria enacted the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 (AMA 2023) in May 2023, establishing a modern unified framework for arbitration and mediation, but its implications for road infrastructure PPP disputes remain underexplored. This paper systematically reviews literature to examine the implications of the AMA 2023 for dispute resolution in road infrastructure PPP projects, focusing on key provisions, current dispute resolution mechanisms, contextual factors influencing effectiveness, and implementation gaps between legal reform and practice. A systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted across six databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, HeinOnline, AJOL, and ICRC publications) for sources published between January 2000 and February 2025. After screening 412 initial records, 87 sources were included for final synthesis, using thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework. The AMA 2023 introduces significant innovations, including mandatory stay of court proceedings, electronic arbitration agreements, third-party funding, emergency arbitration, joinder and consolidation provisions, and statutory mediation with enforceable settlement agreements. However, the review identifies persistent implementation gaps associated with weak institutional capacity, political instability, land acquisition conflicts, economic volatility, corruption, and fragmented regulatory frameworks. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession illustrates how inadequately addressed social and political risks can undermine project sustainability. The review concludes that legal reform alone cannot ensure effective dispute resolution. Realising the AMA 2023's potential requires PPP-specific dispute protocols, public-sector capacity building, integration of AMA provisions into standard contracts, dispute prevention mechanisms, and ethical guidance for emerging provisions. The study highlights the need to align formal legal reform with the institutional and relational realities of Nigerian road PPPs.

Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023, Public-Private Partnerships, Dispute resolution, Road infrastructure, systematic review.

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