Nania is a Partner in the Disputes practice group of the firm. She regularly advises and represents clients in a range of high value litigation and arbitration disputes and is highly regarded by her peers and clients for her experience in cross-border disputes. She also sits as an arbitrator in both international and domestic arbitrations in institutional and ad hoc proceedings. She has been appointed as sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator by the LCIA, ICC and Ghana Arbitration Centre, and is also listed on CPR’s Panels of Distinguished Neutrals and the Ghana ADR Hub List of Arbitrators.
Nania’s clients include Tullow, Epiroc, Stena Drilling Limited, Champion X, Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, AngloGold Ashanti (GH) Ltd., Abosso Goldfields Limited, American Tower Company Limited, Moringa Mauritius Africa and Moringa SCA SICAR, Ghana Oil Palm Development Company Limited, Monjasa DMCC, GOS Limited, FBN Bank Limited and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She is a member of the Court of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and President of the LCIA African Users’ Council. She is Chair of the Ghana Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a member of the English Commercial Bar (COMBAR) Africa Committee. Nania is also a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and a board member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre.
She previously served as Co-Chair of the Africa Arbitration Group of the International Bar Association (IBA) Arbitration Committee, after serving as editor of the IBA Arbitration Committee Newsletter. Nania was formerly a member of the three-panel Electronic Communications Tribunal of the Republic of Ghana, a quasi-judicial body that hears appeals in respect of the regulation and licensing of telecommunications companies, television stations and radio stations in Ghana. She was part of the Task Force for the Commonwealth International Arbitration Study commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which comprised leading arbitration practitioners within the Commonwealth. She regularly delivers training on various aspects of arbitration practice and also regularly speaks at arbitration conferences.
She lectures in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Ghana School of Law and is called to the Bar in England and Wales and in Ghana. She is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, Middle Temple Inns of Court and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
Nania holds a B.A(Hons) from the University of Ghana, a Qualifying Law Degree & LLM from the University of Leeds and a Qualifying Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law. She undertook the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law (now University of Law) in London, where she obtained a Post-graduate Diploma in Law.
Rankings and Awards
Up and Coming Lawyer in Dispute Resolution- Chambers Global, 2024
Recommended in Disputes Resolution – The Legal 500, 2023 & 2024
Recommended in Arbitration -Who’s Who Legal (WWL), 2023
Named in the Global Litigators List- Lawdragon 500, 2023
Arbitration Future Leader, Partners Category –Who’s Who Legal (WWL), 2022
Rising Star, Commercial Arbitration- IFLR Rising Stars Awards EMEA, 2022
Awarded one of Africa’s 30 Most Promising Arbitration Practitioners- African Arbitration Academy, 2022
Awarded one of Africa’s 50 Most Promising Young Arbitration Practitioners- Association of Young Arbitrators, 2020
Testimonials
“Nania is very clear and gives us straightforward, relevant advice with a clear and full understanding of our needs.”- Dispute Resolution, Chambers Global, 2024
“She is great at what she does.”- Dispute Resolution, Chambers Global, 2024
“Nania is as knowledgeable and articulate as they come. Her research skills are excellent.”-Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500, 2024
“Nania Owusu-Ankomah is very good at what she does. Her knowledge, mastery and appreciation of the law is never called to question. She has a very pleasant demeanour yet very firm and effective in making her point.”- Dispute Resolution, The Legal 500, 2023
“Nania Owusu-Ankomah and Daad Akwesi are thorough in their research, compelling in their arguments and reassuring for the client”- The Legal 500, 2022
- Representing a local subsidiary of an international mining company in an arbitration against a surface mining company/contractor, in respect of several breaches of a mining agreement entered into by the parties. The matter involves claims and counterclaims in excess of US$ 247 million.
- Representing two foreign private equity investment funds in a shareholding dispute in respect of a local company. The matter involves several claims and counterclaims including a claim for special damages of over US$1 million.
- Representing an international oil drilling company against a sovereign in respect of two international arbitrations involving breaches of a Petroleum Agreement.
- Represented a mining company in arbitration proceedings relating to a contract dispute with a mining services company involving claims in excess of US$8 million.
- Represented a local subsidiary of an international bank in litigation proceedings for breach of contract arising from an alleged wrongful termination of a Lease Agreement. The client was awarded approximately US$ 1,405,950.18 with interest.
- Represented a multi-national telecommunications company in litigation proceedings arising from a commercial contract dispute, involving claims for damages in excess of US$ 6 million and GH¢ 14 million.
- Part of a legal team in an international arbitration between an international software company and a sovereign entity in which client was awarded over GH¢ 197.5 million (approximately US$ 87.2 million at the time) in damages.
- Part of a legal team in an international energy company in international arbitration and local litigation against sovereign entity regarding a Power Purchase Agreement in which client was awarded the equivalent of US$ 12 million at the time in damages.
Articles
- Integration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Through the Law, (2016-2020) 24 Review of Ghana Law
- The Guide to Dispute Resolution in Africa 2022, co-author of Ghana Chapter with Ace Anan Ankomah. (November 2021)
- IBA Arbitration Committee, Ghana Country Report on the Local Requirements for the Validity of the Enforcement of the Arbitral Award (September 2020).
- Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in Nigeria and Ghana, published in Hogan Lovells LLP Africa Newsletter (September 2019).
- Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Africa: An Analysis of the Regime in South Africa and Ghana, published by Lexology (2019)
- Integration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Through the Law. (October 2019) co-authored with Ace Anan Ankomah. (Paper presented to the ECOWAS Court of Justice International Conference)
- Lex Mundi Global Arbitration Guide (author of Ghana Chapter and Contributor to the Guide) (November 2018)
- A Guide to Dispute Resolution in Africa: A Multijurisdictional Review (2nd Edition, Herbert Smith Freehills), co-author of Ghana Chapter with Ace Anan Ankomah. (2016).
- A Guide to Dispute Resolution in Africa: A Multijurisdictional Review (1st Edition, Herbert Smith Freehills), co-author of Ghana Chapter with Ace Anan Ankomah. (2013).
Books
