Hon. Justice B. B. Kanyip, OFR

Early Life and Education

Hon. Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip hails from Anturung-Attakar in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and was called to the Nigerian Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School in Lagos. He further earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law and is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (FNIALS).

Academic and Legal Career

Justice Kanyip began his professional journey in academia as a Lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University in 1987, rising to the position of Lecturer II. In 1992, he transitioned to the National Commission for Colleges of Education as Legal Adviser. By 1995, he joined the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies as a Senior Research Fellow and was promoted to Associate Research Professor of Law in 2000.

His scholarly contributions include numerous articles in consumer law, labour law, tax law, and commercial law. He authored Consumer Protection in Nigeria: Law, Theory and Policy (2005) and co-authored Elements of Commercial Law (1994). Justice Kanyip has also consulted for organizations such as ECOWAS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and the Federal Government of Nigeria on labour-related matters.

Judicial Career

Appointed as a Judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in 2000, Justice Kanyip served an initial four-year term, which was renewed in 2004, leading to a tenured position. He was sworn in as the Acting President of NICN on October 2, 2019, following the retirement of his predecessor, Hon. Justice Babatunde Adejumo. Subsequently, he was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate and officially sworn in as the substantive President of the Court on December 13, 2019.

Professional Affiliations and Honors

Justice Kanyip is a member of the International Bar Association, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation

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