Ayoade: How UNILAG’s Joint LLM with Dundee Will Shape Globally Competitive Lawyers

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Dundee in Scotland have launched a pioneering joint Master of Laws (LLM) program, marking the first such collaboration between a Nigerian and a UK university. This initiative aims to prepare Nigerian legal professionals for an increasingly globalized legal landscape.

Dayo Ayoade, Professor of Energy, Extractives and Governance Law at UNILAG and Head of the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, explained that the program was conceived to provide Nigerian students with international legal education while keeping them connected to their careers and Nigeria's development needs. Discussions for the collaboration began in 2019, following a successful joint legal training program organized by both institutions.

"We wanted to move beyond occasional collaborations and create something more enduring. We initially considered a dual LLM before eventually agreeing on a joint degree programme," Ayoade said. The program required years of institutional engagement and regulatory approvals before its formal launch. The agreement was signed in October 2025 by UNILAG Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola and University of Dundee representative Prof. Peter McLeivy.

Ayoade emphasized that the joint LLM is intentionally structured to benefit Nigeria's legal sector, describing it as not a 'Japa' (emigration) program. Participants complete the majority of their studies in Nigeria before moving to Scotland for advanced coursework and research. They then return to Nigeria to finalize their dissertations under joint supervision. This model aims to retain talent within the country and contribute to its development.

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We wanted to move beyond occasional collaborations and create something more enduring. We initially considered a dual LLM before eventually agreeing on a joint degree programme.