Meet 10 Managing Partners of Corporate Law Firms in Nigeria 

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Nigeria’s corporate law firms stand at the forefront of the nation’s economic transformation.

These legal powerhouses provide essential guidance on high-stakes transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, capital raising, and major infrastructure projects.

Their expertise helps both local businesses and international investors navigate Nigeria’s complex regulatory environment while maximizing opportunities in Africa’s largest market.

The success of these firms rests largely on their managing partners – accomplished legal minds who blend courtroom expertise with boardroom strategy.

From negotiating billion-dollar energy deals to structuring cross-border investments, Nigeria’s top legal professionals have earned global recognition for their work.

In this review, we examine ten standout managing partners whose vision and track record continue to elevate Nigeria’s legal industry.

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Reginald Udom – Managing Partner Aluko & Oyebode 

Reginald Udom has been a Managing Partner of Aluko & Oyebode since January 2021, steering one of Nigeria’s foremost corporate law firms founded in 1993. With over two decades of experience, he leads the firm’s strategic vision while advising multinational clients across technology, finance, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

A graduate of the University of Lagos (LLB Hons, 2000) and University College London (LLM, 2006), Udom combines technical expertise with a commitment to mentoring young lawyers and shaping Nigeria’s legal policy reforms.

Aluko & Oyebode has executed landmark transactions, including advising Diageo Plc on its 58.02% stake sale in Guinness Nigeria Plc and negotiating long-term licensing agreements. The firm facilitated Access Golf Nigeria Limited’s acquisition of ARM Pension Managers and subsequent merger with Access Pensions, and guided Alitheia IDF Fund’s $2.3 million investment in Chika’s Wholefoods.

Notable clients such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Brookfield Business Partners rely on the firm’s expertise in complex cross-sectoral deals, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and capital markets.

Koye Edu- Managing Partner Jackson & Etti 

Koye Edu, Managing Partner at Jackson, Etti & Edu, is a distinguished legal expert with over three decades of experience in Capital Markets, Banking & Finance, Project Development, Real Estate, Immigration, and Mergers & Acquisitions.

As the co-founder of Jackson & Etti , Koye is trusted by both public and private sector players to guide complex, high-stakes transactions across Africa.

• His landmark deals include advising on the Nigerian Federal Government’s divestment from Capital Hotel Plc, owners of the Abuja Sheraton Hotel & Towers, and overseeing critical bank acquisitions such as Ecobank’s assumption of All States Trust Bank’s assets and Afribank’s takeover of Lead Assurance Bank.
• Koye’s cross-border expertise is exemplified in a US$240 million syndicated loan financing a submarine fibre-optic cable project connecting Africa to Europe. He advised local lenders on legal structuring and risk, demonstrating his mastery of infrastructure finance.

Koye serves as a director of the Moorhouse Group and adviser to the A.P. Moll Maersk Group. His past board roles include African Alliance Insurance and Pension Alliance Limited. A conservation advocate, he is a Council Member of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation.

He holds an LL.M. in Shipping and International Finance from King’s College London and an LL.B. from the University of Bristol. He is also a Member of the Nigerian Bar Association and has served as Chairman of the NBA Law Office Practice Committee.

Founded in 1996, Jackson, Etti & Edu is a sector-driven, pan-African law firm with 70+ lawyers serving clients across 35 jurisdictions and 11 practice areas redefining legal service delivery in Africa.

Fidelis Adewole – Managing Partner  Elias & Co 

Fidelis Adewole serves as the Managing Partner at G. Elias, where he leads a distinguished legal career shaped by his academic excellence and broad industry expertise. A graduate of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Adewole earned his Bachelor of Laws degree at the top of his class. At the Nigerian Law School, he won the Prince Bola Ajibola Prize for outstanding proficiency in Civil Procedure and the Dr. Mudiaga Odje Prize for excellence in both Civil and Criminal Procedure.

A Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Adewole is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and a Notary Public. His practice spans dispute resolution, corporate law, taxation, projects, insolvency, and restructuring. He has advised on major transactions, including BUA Cement Plc’s merger with Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, the sale of Enterprise Bank to Heritage Bank, and a landmark real estate project in Lekki Phase 1.

• Elias & Co has established itself as a leader in handling complex, high-value transactions across Nigeria’s key economic sectors.
• The firm’s notable achievements include advising on the N1.8 trillion listing of Transcorp Power Plc on NGX, the merger between Titan Trust Bank and Union Bank Nigeria, and the Financial Market Dealers Association.

• The firm regularly represents major clients including Interswitch Limited, mPharma Africa B.V., and Mafab Ltd across power, oil & gas, fintech, and consumer sectors.

Adewole has represented British American Tobacco Plc in one of Nigeria’s most extensive series of product liability cases and advised leading corporations in complex tax, merger, and insolvency matters. His work reflects a career committed to excellence at the highest levels of legal practice.

Ken Etim – Managing Partner Banwo & Ighodalo

Kenneth “Ken” Etim serves as Managing Partner of Banwo & Ighodalo (B&I), where he has been a driving force since joining the firm in 1993. Recognized by Chambers & Partners as “very knowledgeable” in project finance, Ken combines sharp negotiation skills with deep sector expertise to close complex, multi-million dollar transactions, particularly in energy and project finance.

A 1990 law graduate of the University of Uyo and Nigerian Law School alumnus, Ken has spearheaded nearly all of B&I’s landmark energy deals while building parallel strengths in commercial litigation and arbitration. His practice focuses on energy & natural resources, project finance, and shipping/aviation law.

Ken actively contributes to professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (USA), and Lagos Chamber of Commerce’s Commercial Law Committee. Under his co-leadership with Asue Ighodalo, B&I has advised on transformative transactions like Renaissance Africa Energy’s acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets and PAT Holding’s 100% purchase of Pan African Towers.

The firm maintains particular distinction in oil & gas M&A, regularly guiding foreign investors through Nigerian energy sector transactions while serving clients like SPOK Capital and AAA Consortium Fund Managers. Ken’s three-decade tenure continues to shape B&I’s reputation for marrying local market insight with international deal standards.

Oghogho Akpata– Managing Partner of Templars 

Oghogho Akpata is the Managing Partner of Templars, a premier Nigerian commercial law firm he founded in 1995. With over three decades of experience, Akpata has built a distinguished career advising a wide range of clients across the oil and gas sector, including multinational corporations, international oil companies, and oilfield service providers operating in Nigeria.

• Akpata is widely recognised for his transactional and dispute resolution expertise. He has advised on some of Nigeria’s most significant and complex deals, including Sinopec’s negotiated exit from four oil mining leases in partnership with Addax Petroleum and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
• He was also instrumental in securing a US$2 billion-plus arbitral award for ExxonMobil and Shell in a high-profile crude entitlement dispute with the Nigerian government.
• His contributions extend beyond oil and gas. He advised on the restructuring of the now-defunct state electricity monopoly, NEPA, as well as on BTG Pactual’s $1.53 billion acquisition of Petrobras’s Nigerian assets.

Templar’s clients include Tolaram Group, Halliburton West Africa Limited, Aggreko Holdings, Enjoycorp Limited, Onix Data Centre Limited, Actis LLP, General Atlantic, Emple Capital Group Limited, Fidelity Bank Plc, and others.

 Jumoke Lambo– Managing Partner Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie 

Jumoke Lambo is the Managing Partner at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, where she leads the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology (TMT) practice, co-heads the Aviation and Employment Law teams, and oversees the firm’s company secretarial arm, Alsec Nominees Limited. With over 30 years of experience, she advises on telecommunications, data protection, cybersecurity, employment, immigration, foreign investment, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate law.

A recognised authority in data protection, Jumoke heads the firm’s licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation under NITDA and regularly supports clients on regulatory compliance under the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation.

•  She was part of the expert team that drafted the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 and has advised regulators like NCC and NITDA on policy and legislation.
• Her secondments to 9mobile and Union Bank as General Counsel provided in-house experience, allowing her to restructure legal departments and streamline operations. She’s known for her negotiation skills and expertise in employment and corporate immigration, earning accolades from Who’s Who Legal.
• Notable transactions include advising Universal Music Group on its acquisition of Mavin Global and Oak View Group on its investment in Nigeria’s proposed 12,000-seater arena.

Her client portfolio includes Digital Jumoke Lambo is the Managing Partner at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, where she leads the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology (TMT) practice, co-heads the Aviation and Employment Law teams, and oversees the firm’s company secretarial arm, Alsec Nominees Limited.

Bola Tinubu – Managing Partner, Olajide Oyewole LLP 

Bola Tinubu leads the Corporate and Boardroom Counsel Practices at DLA Piper Africa, Nigeria (Olajide Oyewole LLP), with over 30 years of experience advising boards, multinationals, public institutions, and private businesses across diverse sectors. She is recognised for providing strategic legal support that enhances board-level decision-making, embeds robust governance frameworks, and ensures regulatory compliance. Her expertise covers M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions, corporate restructurings, and complex commercial agreements.

Bola is also a leading voice on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, advising on sustainability governance, anti-corruption, global supply chain transparency, data protection, climate risk, and gender equity. In 2023, she was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Cambridge University Institute of Sustainability Leadership.

At Olajide Oyewole LLP, she has led several high-profile transactions.

• The firm advised Future Energies Africa Limited on acquiring a 60% stake in Kano Electricity Distribution Company Ltd., acted as lead counsel for the 100% equity sale of IMC Plantations Limited, and represented sellers in the sale of Lagos Preparatory Secondary School.

The firm also represents clients such as Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria, Oando Plc, Mainstream Energy Solutions, Powergas, Mitsubishi Power Europe, Argentil Capital Partners, and Mobile Power.

Kunle Obebe –Managing Partner Bloomfield 

Kunle Obembe is the Managing Partner at Bloomfield Law Practice, a leading corporate and commercial law firm based in Lagos, Nigeria, with representative offices across Africa. With over 20 years of experience in legal practice, Kunle is widely respected for his expertise in corporate advisory, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.

Kunle joined Bloomfield shortly after its founding on February 12, 2007, and has played a key role in the firm’s growth and strategic direction. Appointed Managing Partner in December 2016, he has since led the firm’s expansion and deepened its capabilities in navigating the complex legal and regulatory terrain of Nigeria and the wider African market.

Prior to his time at Bloomfield, Kunle served as a Senior Associate at Deji Sasegbon SAN & Co., where he built a strong foundation in litigation and commercial law.

He holds an LL.B from Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, and a B.L from the Nigerian Law School.

At Bloomfield, Kunle leads a team of forward-thinking legal professionals committed to delivering tailored, practical legal solutions for a diverse range of clients, from multinational corporations to high-growth businesses and expatriates operating in Nigeria.

Adedapo Tunde Olowu– Managing Partner Aelex

Adedapo is the Managing Partner of ÆLEX, one of West Africa’s leading full-service commercial law firms, where he provides strategic leadership and drives the firm’s vision of delivering excellence across diverse practice areas. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2020, a prestigious recognition of his outstanding advocacy and contributions to the Nigerian legal profession.

In 2022, Adedapo was appointed as a Delegate to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, a testament to his growing influence in international dispute resolution and his commitment to advancing best practices in arbitration and alternative dispute mechanisms globally.

He is consistently recognised by leading global directories for his legal acumen. Who’s Who Legal lists him as a Global Thought Leader and Africa Thought Leader in Commercial Litigation, and as a Global and National Leader in both Commercial Litigation and Arbitration. Additionally, he is ranked as “Highly Regarded” in Tax Controversy by IFLR1000, and is acknowledged as a respected litigator by the Chambers Global Directory.

Adedapo also contributes significantly to legal scholarship. He heads the editorial team of the Aviation Law Reports of Nigeria (AVLRN), a specialised law report dedicated to curating judgments of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and Federal High Court on aviation matters, thereby supporting the development of this niche area of Nigerian jurisprudence.

ÆLEX has built a solid track record of facilitating mergers and acquisitions for both domestic and international clients. It has advised prominent clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Total Nigeria Plc, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Azura Power West Africa Limited, and The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.

Notable transactions include advising Oppenheimer Partners on its acquisition of an additional 37.5% equity stake in GZ Industries, thereby increasing its shareholding to 100%, and advising Shoprite Holdings Limited on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Resilient Africa Proprietary Limited.

Tominiyi Owolabi – Managing Partner Olaniwun Ajayi LP

Tominiyi Owolabi is the Managing Partner of the Olaniwun Ajayi LP. With over two decades of experience, he is widely regarded as one of the top lawyers globally in Project Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions, as recognised by Who’s Who Legal. His core expertise spans project finance, capital markets regulation, oil and gas financing, asset acquisition, and complex corporate transactions.

He has built a formidable reputation through his involvement in some of the largest and most intricate transactions across Nigeria’s key sectors, including energy, telecommunications, banking and finance, ICT, infrastructure development, and financial regulation. A recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship for International Leadership (2011), Tominiyi brings a global perspective and local depth to every mandate he leads.

The company has advised notable clients including Amo Farms Sieberer Hatchery Limited, British International Investment plc, Mavin Global Holdings Limited, and Chapel Hill Advisory Partners Limited/Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited.

Tominiyi has acted for a wide range of clients, including Amo Farms Sieberer Hatchery Limited, British International Investment plc, Mavin Global Holdings Limited, and Chapel Hill Advisory Partners Limited/Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited. Notable recent work includes advising Amo Farms Sieberer Hatchery Limited in connection with a convertible loan investment of up to approximately $12 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Note: The individuals featured in this compilation have been carefully selected by a distinguished panel of editors, at Nairametrics. It is important to note that none of the individuals listed have solicited their inclusion. While this list aims to be comprehensive, it is by no means exhaustive; numerous other contributors have played a role in the advancement of Corporate Law practice in Nigeria. This compilation is exclusive to Nairametrics and may be updated periodically to reflect changes and advancements in the field. Feedback will be appreciated.