Construction Act Advocate Aderibigbe Clinches UK Black Talent Awards Nomination

Lawyer, strategist, and international development executive, Abiola Aderibigbe, has been nominated for the Black Talent Awards 2026, in recognition of his growing contributions across law, governance, infrastructure policy, and institutional development.

Aderibigbe, who operates between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, currently serves in several executive and advisory capacities spanning legal strategy, infrastructure governance, public-private engagement, and international development initiatives.

He is widely recognised for his advocacy surrounding a proposed Nigerian Construction Act; a reform initiative aimed at strengthening regulatory harmonisation, construction safety standards, procurement transparency, investor confidence, and institutional accountability within Nigeria’s built environment sector.

His policy advocacy has attracted increasing national media attention over the past year, with several publications highlighting his calls for systemic reform following recurring building collapses and infrastructure governance concerns in Nigeria.

Recent commentary has positioned his work within broader conversations around governance reform, economic development, project bankability, and institutional strengthening across emerging markets.

Beyond policy advocacy, Aderibigbe currently serves as Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Board Secretary of PSJ UK (International Organisation for Peacebuilding and Social Justice UK), a UK-registered international non-governmental organisation focused on peacebuilding, social justice, governance advocacy, humanitarian engagement, and development-focused initiatives relating to Nigeria and the African continent.

Aderibigbe is currently on the ground in Nigeria supporting/coordinating PSJ UK’s expanded development-focused engagements, including stakeholder initiatives linked to economic recovery and displacement-affected communities in the North and Middle Belt regions. 

Within professional and legal circles, Aderibigbe has also gained recognition for his work across construction, infrastructure, engineering, and international commercial law.

He was previously named among the Top 10 Exceptional Professionals in Law at the 2025 TIBA Awards and has received multiple international recognitions connected to construction and engineering law, governance advisory, and professional leadership.

Industry observers have increasingly associated his work with the intersection of governance, infrastructure delivery, institutional reform, and development finance particularly around conversations involving public-private partnerships, regulatory credibility, and sustainable infrastructure ecosystems across Africa.

Speaking on the nomination, Aderibigbe described the recognition as both humbling and symbolic of a wider generation of African professionals seeking to strengthen institutions and contribute meaningfully across public and private sectors.

“To be recognised alongside so many exceptional professionals in the United Kingdom is deeply humbling. For me, this nomination represents something bigger than individual achievement. It reflects the growing importance of governance, institutional credibility, and long-term systems thinking within Africa’s development conversation,” he said.

He added that his work remains focused on supporting stronger institutional frameworks capable of improving accountability, investor confidence, sustainable infrastructure delivery, and wider socio-economic outcomes.

The Black Talent Awards (BTA) is  a premier UK-based awards platform dedicated exclusively to recognising and celebrating outstanding Black professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, and leaders making significant contributions across multiple industries and sectors in the United Kingdom and internationally.