The Regional Centre for    International Commercial    Arbitration - Lagos, ("The Centre")    was established in Lagos - Nigeria in 1989 under the auspices of the Asian African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) by exchange of letters of agreement concluded in 1980 between the AALCO and the Centre's host – the federal government of Nigeria (the host).

The continued operations of the Centre in Nigeria was ratified by treaty executed on 26th April 1999 in form of a head quarters agreement between the AALCO and the host.

In furtherance of the tenents of international law, the domestication of the headquarters agreement cumulated in the codification of the terms therein in a municipal law - Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration “Regional Act No. 39 of 1999 (the Act)” bringing to completion the legal framework for the existence of the Centre in Nigeria.