–Legal Experts: Ex Parte Orders Automatically Lapse After 14 Days — Enforcement Now Void

…Corporate Power Struggle Over OML 42 Exposes the Fragility of Interim Judicial Relief in Nigeria

A sudden quiet victory has settled over Nestoil and Neconde. Their offices — once sealed, monitored, and overshadowed by the heavy machinery of FBNQuest and First Trustees — have reopened with renewed activity. Billions of naira once locked in limbo are now accessible again. The dramatic freeze that stalled operations at OML 42 has evaporated, not through courtroom fireworks but through the silent mechanism of the law.

The ex parte orders granted on October 22 by Justice D. I. Dipeolu had allowed the banks to freeze funds, seal premises, and appoint a Receiver to take over operations. The impact was swift and severe: offices shut, crude production threatened, and corporate control seized in a stroke. But under the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, such drastic interim relief carries an inbuilt expiry date. Fourteen days after a motion to discharge is filed, the law strips the order of any legal force.

Nestoil and Neconde filed their motion on October 30. On November 13, the orders died a natural legal death.

What had appeared to be the banks’ ironclad grip turned out to be temporary — a procedural illusion bound by time and constitutional safeguards.

Victoria Island had, for weeks, resembled a corporate battleground. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Abubakar Sulu-Gambari, acting as Receiver, walked through seized premises like a custodian of contested billions. Frozen accounts disrupted operations, key decisions were suspended, and OML 42 — a vital crude-producing asset — stood at risk.

But the law is clear: ex parte orders are emergency tools, not instruments of prolonged domination. Under Order 26, Rule 10, they cannot extend beyond fourteen days post–motion to discharge. Section 36(1) of the Constitution reinforces that no party may be deprived of rights indefinitely without being heard. To do otherwise would violate the fair-hearing principle at the heart of Nigerian justice.

With the lapse, any enforcement actions still being carried out became instantly unlawful. Agencies or individuals occupying offices, supervising assets, or restricting corporate activity now lack legal authority. Companies regain autonomy; the banks, if still intent on pressing their claims, must return to court and start afresh.

Legal analysts stress that the brevity of ex parte orders is intentional. “An ex parte order is a temporary shield, not a permanent sword,” one senior counsel explained. “Its lifespan protects fairness. Anything longer would undermine due process.”

For large operators like Nestoil and Neconde, the consequences of extended freezes are not theoretical. Billions of dollars in assets, export schedules, and international business obligations hang in the balance. A prolonged freeze can destabilize operations far more than the underlying dispute itself.

The episode also serves as a cautionary tale for enforcement agencies. Continuing to act after an order lapses exposes them to legal challenge and potential sanctions. Nigerian courts have repeatedly held that enforcement without subsisting authority is unconstitutional.

Across the commercial litigation landscape, Mareva injunctions are well understood as powerful but short-lived. They prevent asset flight but must withstand the strict scrutiny of procedural fairness. Banks often seek them in urgent circumstances — as FBNQuest did, citing an alleged $1 billion exposure — but urgency does not override constitutional limits.

For Nestoil and Neconde, the expiry restores operational stability. For FBNQuest and First Trustees, it closes one chapter and forces a strategic reset. The banks may seek new orders, pursue the substantive case, or recalibrate their approach. The next move could shape not only this dispute but also broader jurisprudence on interim relief.

The corporate world is watching closely. OML 42 is not just another oil asset — it is a pillar of indigenous oil production with national implications. Even a brief freeze affects supply chains, investor confidence, and Nigeria’s energy outlook.

The lesson from this saga is unmistakable: urgency does not trump due process, and interim legal power is inherently temporary. The law’s clock always ticks — and when time runs out, even the most sweeping orders dissolve.

As operations resume on Victoria Island and crude production steadies at OML 42, the drama shifts back to the courts and corporate boardrooms. Will the banks return for another round? Will the court grant fresh relief? Or will the dispute finally move from procedural warfare to substantive adjudication?

For now, the Mareva injunction is dead — but the battle over OML 42 is far from finished.

*Fidelity Bank Grows Gross Earnings by 46% to ₦748.7 billion for H1 2025*

Fidelity Bank Plc has announced its audited financial results for the half-year ended 30 June 2025, demonstrating resilience and sustained growth across key performance indicators.

Highlights of the financial results which was uploaded on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) portal on Thursday, 13 November 2025 shows that the bank delivered robust results across key financial metrics including Gross Earnings, which stood at ₦748.7 billion, up from ₦512.9 billion in H1 2024; Interest Income, which rose to ₦557.9 billion, compared to ₦357.9 billion in H1 2024; and Total Deposits, which grew to ₦7.20 trillion, from ₦6.94 trillion in H1 2024.

Similarly, the bank’s Low-Cost Deposits increased to ₦4.85 trillion, compared to ₦4.83 trillion in H1 2024.

Fidelity Bank continued to expand its digital banking footprint, enhance customer experience, and support key sectors of the economy. The bank’s loan book grew, with Net Loans and Advances expanding to ₦1.69 trillion, up from ₦1.59 trillion in H1 2024, reflecting increased support for businesses and individuals. Asset quality remained stable, with non-performing loans well within acceptable limits.

The bank’s capital raising initiatives have further strengthened its financial position, ensuring readiness to meet new regulatory requirements and pursue growth opportunities. Fidelity Bank’s strong liquidity profile and robust governance framework provide a solid foundation for continued success.

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

At UBA Business Series, Digital Entrepreneurs Highlight Authenticity, Consistency, Passion as Real Game-Changer

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, hosted another enlightening edition of the UBA Business Series, bringing together some of Africa’s most dynamic digital entrepreneurs and influencers to discuss the secrets behind building impactful online communities.

This edition of the Business Series, which had the theme, “Content that Converts: Building Influence and Driving Growth Through Strategic Marketing,” was held at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre in UBA Head Office, Marina, Lagos on Thursday.

The very engaging session, shed light on how authenticity, consistency, and passion remain true cornerstones of success in the ever-evolving digital landscape, while the content creators shared first-hand experiences from their journeys across diverse industries and markets.

UBA’s Group Head, Digital Banking, Kayode Olubiyi, who welcomed participants and the panellists to the session, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs across Africa through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives such as the Business Series.

He emphasised that the quarterly event continues to serve as vital avenues for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, equipping individuals with practical insights to grow their brands and businesses in a competitive digital economy.

In his keynote address, the Managing Director/CEO at Nitro 121, Dr. Lampe Omoyele, who said that “You can create something out of what appears to be nothing,” gave insight on key trends to develop content that creates Impact.

He noted that content creation should go beyond aesthetics or trends to focus on value, purpose, and agility as he pointed out that creators who aim to make a difference must develop a clear personal brand identity and remain consistent in delivering messages that resonate with their audience.

The panel session featured an impressive line-up of digital entrepreneurs and content creators, including Digital Creator and Actor, Elozonam Ogbolu; Digital Health Educator, Chinonso Egemba (Aproko Doctor); Kenyan Actress and Media Entrepreneur, Catherine Kamau; Content Creator, Nasiru Lawal (Nasboi) and Digital Influencer, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, who was also the moderator of the event.

Growth is very important, says Nasiru Lawal. “For the younger creators here, my best advice is this: please prioritise your growth. As a creator, the moment you become famous, you no longer move at your own pace; you move at the people’s pace. It is therefore important to ensure you grow consistently and then overtime, the recognition and the money begins to roll in.”

Elozonam Ogbolu who agreed with Lawal, had this to say: “Content creators have to engage their audience with proper storytelling, because brands are always out to carefully choose their creators. For the brands, you must pick your influencer or ambassador very deliberately and work together over time to grow. That is when you will see a proper return on investment.

In his submission, Chinonso Egemba, said, “If you’re building a business or doing content creation, treat content creation as a business. When you treat it as a business, it needs proper structure. Otherwise, it won’t last. If you don’t put structure in place, you’ll end up responsible for everything, and that leads to burnout. You have to build structure, because if you want longevity, structure is very essential.

For Catherine Kamau, it is important for content creators to find a balance and stay close to their community. “What I realized is I have a community that keeps me grounded, and that’s family. When you get famous, you tend to forget where you come from, you know, social media is an illusion and you start assuming that it is your real family until bad things happen to you. So please remember the real people in your life, because fame can get to your head, but those are not the people who are going to have your back when things go south.”

The creators while sharing their diverse experiences, they collectively emphasized that building a personal brand should take precedence over chasing financial gain. They also underscored the importance of originality, urging young creators to find their unique niche rather than replicating what others have done.

UBA’s Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, who commended panellists for taking time to share their useful insights at the event, took time to celebrate the UBA Management for organising conversations like this which according to her, ‘remain impactful and will impact not just the individual customers, but also the economies at large.”

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.