WHEN PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW/CONFLICT OF LAW RULES COME TO PLAY
In Atoyebi v. Barclays Bank Plc (2026) 10 NWLR (Pt. 2049) 377 at 430, A—C per Abiru JSC: Private International Law Rules or conflict of law rules are the principles that apply to cases between private persons or States that engage in private transactions with contacts with two or more legal units. Private International Law is that department of law which arose from the recognition and acceptance of the fact that different territories possess different legal systems and laws and its purpose is to protect and ensure the peaceful intercourse of private persons in different legal territories. It comes into play whenever an issue before the court contains a foreign element, i.e. where the main elements of an action occurred in a territory different from the territory where all the parties reside, like in the present case.