Expert opinion in Nigerian law cases
Abimbola Badejo
8th May 2025
Abimbola Badejo is dual qualified in England and Wales, and in Nigeria. He is frequently instructed as an expert in cases which require knowledge of the two jurisdictions, particularly family cases where children are being moved between England and Nigeria. He has experience of giving written and oral evidence in the County Court and the High Court, and his reports are often crucial to the understanding of a case and it's successful resolution.
Abimbola advises on legal issues around placement of children in Nigeria, such as issues around Nigerian immigration law, availability of mirror orders and enforcement in Nigeria of special guardianship and child arrangement orders granted in England.
He is increasingly being called upon to advise on Nigerian adoption and fostering orders owing to recent increase in immigration from Nigeria. Some parents have showed up with children who they claim to have adopted and he is often asked to advise on the validity of such adoption orders.
Adoption
There has been an marked increase in the number of cases where Abimbola is asked to advise on the validity of adoption orders which have been made in Nigeria. The law on adoption can vary from state to state, so it is important to have an expert with an in depth understanding of the various requirements of each, as well as an understanding of the law in England and Wales because the long standing test in Re Valentine's Settlement for recognition of an adoption abroad at common law requires the foreign adoption to have the same essential characteristics as an English adoption.
Recent reported cases in which Abimbola has commented on the validity of a Nigerian adoption include DE & Anor v TE & Ors [2025]EWHC 687 (Fam); Re C (A Child) (Recognition of Nigerian Adoption) [2025] EWHC 204 (Fam); KA and FA v B [2024] EWHC 2855; KN & BN v RN & TN [2023] EWHC 712; and Re G (Recognition of a Nigerian Adoption) [2024] EWHC 2769 (Fam).
Cases other than adoption
In addition to adoption cases, Abimbola is able to advise on a wide range of family law issues. He is instructed by local authorities, parents and guardians. His experience includes the following:
- Advising local authorities on placement orders for children in Nigeria, and regularising the placement of children in Nigeria, following care proceedings in England;
- Obtaining Guardianship orders in Nigeria in respect of children placed with Special Guardians by the English Family Court;
- Advising on the validity of marriages and divorces (including customary marriages and divorces) in Nigeria;
- Advising on the enforcement of other UK family court orders in Nigeria including child arrangement orders and orders made in child abduction proceedings.
To instruct Abimbola to produce an expert report, please contact his clerk Jay Dorton. If you would like an informal discussion before doing so, please contact Jay in the first instance.
We are used to dealing with instructions made on behalf of a number of parties, and to managing the deadlines in litigation.
In respect of funding, we usually charge for the work on an hourly rate. It is possible that legal aid may be available to cover part or all of the hourly rate, and we ask for solicitors to apply for prior authority where their client is eligible for legal aid funding. For a quote, and to discuss funding, please contact Jay Dorton.