ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode

• Of Counsel: Gbenga Oyebode, MFR
• Chairman of the Management Board: Kofo Dosekun
• Co-Managing Partners: Reginald Udom and Joke Aliu
• Number of partners: 24
• Number of lawyers: Over 120

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode ("the Firm") is one of the largest integrated full-service law firms in Nigeria, offering a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to a highly diversified clientele, including top-tier Nigerian, international, and multinational clients. Founded in 1993, ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode has produced six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and employs over 120 attorneys across Nigeria's major commercial centers: Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. We have 24 partners, equally balanced with 12 women and 12 men. Our ALN alliance provides a continent-wide reach, with a presence in 14 African countries. The Firm's principal office is in Lagos, with two additional offices located in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

With varied areas of expertise and decades of combined experience across all areas of Nigerian law, multinational companies, local entrepreneurs, and pro bono clients can expect the same level of world-class legal services delivered with the highest ethical standards. Clients rely on us for our deep knowledge of law, our extensive international expertise, and our understanding of various industries, gained through direct experience.

The Firm specialises in a broad range of dispute settlement and corporate/commercial legal services, including banking and finance, capital markets, competition and antitrust law, employment law, litigation and dispute resolution, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, tax, consumer goods, construction and infrastructure, energy and natural resources, fintech, private wealth services, insurance, corporate governance and compliance, immigration and incentives, financial institutions advisory, infrastructure finance and public-private partnerships, international trade, private equity, privatisation and public procurement, real estate, telecommunications, media, entertainment and technology, as well as risk management and investigations.

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC):

The Firm's governance, risk, and compliance advisory services cover statutory and regulatory frameworks, global standards, anti-corruption laws, economic sanctions, fraud, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing laws, and foreign investment regulations. Additionally, the Firm advises on ESG standards, ethics and compliance frameworks, and global best practices applicable to businesses.

Private Wealth:

The Firm's private wealth services provide strategic guidance and legal expertise tailored to High and Ultra High Net Worth individuals, families, and businesses across Nigeria and Africa. Our experience encompasses estate planning, business succession planning, family office services, tax planning, asset protection, and international tax strategies. The Firm actively sponsors and participates in industry events that foster connections among private wealth professionals.

Energy & Natural Resources:

The Firm advises on all aspects of oil and gas law, power, solid minerals, and water law, with particular emphasis on the development and financing of LNG and power projects. We have a deep understanding of the oil and gas industry, having advised on the establishment of a significant number of oil and gas companies in Nigeria. The Firm provides ongoing legal representation to several oil majors operating in both the upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors.

Banking & Finance:

The Firm has vast experience acting as either lenders' or borrowers' counsel in large local and offshore financings extended to Nigerian and multinational companies. We advise on all aspects of banking and finance, including corporate finance, project/infrastructure finance, asset-based finance, construction finance, structured trade transactions, and off-balance sheet and lease transactions.

Corporate & Commercial:

The Firm provides comprehensive business advisory services and advises on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including the formation of companies, partnerships and joint ventures, foreign investment, regulatory compliance, contentious and non-contentious liquidations, receiverships, labor law, and immigration.

FinTech:

The Firm’s FinTech and Startup team provides advisory services to fintech and other technology-enabled businesses, offering guidance on compliance, governance, finance, and investments through the various life cycles of these businesses. The Firm has advised fintech businesses on issues pertaining to the regulation of payment platforms, data privacy and processing, digital assets, crowdfunding amongst others and leverages its dynamic commercial practice to provide robust legal advice and support.

Capital Markets:

The Firm advises on a broad spectrum of capital market transactions, including corporate restructurings, divestitures, schemes of arrangement and reconstruction, derivatives, stock exchange listings, collective investment schemes, IPOs, GDRs, and public offerings of debt and equity.

Mergers & Acquisitions:

The Firm advises a diversified clientele of leading Nigerian, international, and multinational companies on M&A transactions across a broad range of sectors. Our transaction record in this practice area includes a portfolio of innovative, high-profile, and award-winning M&A transactions.

Dispute Resolution:

The Firm’s dispute resolution team represents clients in all aspects of commercial litigation, arbitration, and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The Firm handles an extensive portfolio of matters before Nigerian courts and has participated in several international arbitral proceedings.

Telecommunications/ICT:

The Firm advises on all aspects of telecommunications/ICT, including regulatory compliance issues, the procurement of telecommunications licenses and permits, and the drafting of interconnection agreements.

Intellectual Property:

The Firm advises on all aspects of intellectual property law, including the registration, protection, use, and enforcement of trademarks, copyrights, patents, designs, and trade secrets; licensing, technology transfer, franchising, and agency/distributorship agreements.

Corporate Governance & Compliance:

The Firm provides a broad range of compliance services to local and multinational clients, including the assessment and design of corporate governance and compliance frameworks, undertaking forensic investigations, and liaising with regulatory authorities.

Real Estate:

The Firm advises on commercial lettings, compulsory purchases, property acquisition and investment, development finance, leasing, sale and purchase of real estate, redevelopments, mortgages, conveyancing, and other commercial property transactions and documentation.

Transport – Shipping & Aviation:

The Firm advises on all aspects of shipping and aviation, including the leasing, registration, and financing of aircraft and ships, ship arrests, shipbuilding and repair contracts, hull and cargo claims, bills of lading and charter parties, contracts of affreightment, marine insurance, P&I insurance, salvage, and collision matters.

Privatization/PPP:

The Firm advises on a wide range of privatization transactions, including full and partial government divestment from public enterprises, the introduction of private sector participation in former government monopolies, public-private partnerships, and the concessioning of public infrastructure.

Taxation:

The Firm advises on petroleum profits tax, corporate tax, capital gains tax, value-added tax, withholding tax, income tax, corporate tax planning, and undertakes tax registration on behalf of corporate entities.

Over the years, the firm has advised on several innovative, high profile and award winning transactions including:

■ Advised MTN Group Limited on the Listing by Introduction of the shares of its Nigerian subsidiary, MTN Nigeria, valued at US$5 billion on the Premium Board of the NSE

■ Advised Access Bank Plc on its merger with Diamond Bank Plc in a deal valued at NGN72.5 billion (approx. US$200 million)

■ Advised Indorama Eleme and Fertilizer Company Limited, on the financing of the US$1 billion expansion of a world-class fertilizer production plant

■ Advised Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) on a new issue of Eurobonds under a US$3 billion Global Medium Term Notes Programme

■ Advising Standard Chartered Plc on the Nigerian aspects of the US$1 billion sale of its private equity investment portfolio to Intermediate Capital Group

■ Advised MTN on a US$544.4 million term credit facility extended by a syndicate of Nigerian financial institutions

■ Advised FBN Capital Limited and a syndicate of local lenders on the US$445 million Accugas IV Financing

■ Advised Lafarge Africa Plc on the US$317 million sale of its South African operations to Caricement B.V.

■ Advising Olam International on its NGN120 billion (approx. US$332 million) acquisition of Dangote Flour Mills by its Nigerian subsidiary, Crown Flour Mills, via a scheme of arrangement

■ Advised Visa Inc. on the US$170 million series C fundraising round by Branch International Inc. led by Visa Inc. and Foundation Capital

■ Advised Guaranty Trust Bank on a US$110 million facility extended to a Maltese asset company and a Nigerian project company

■ Advised Access Bank Plc on a US$40 Million Green Bond issuance

■ Advised Powerchina Huadong Engineering Corporation on a US$32.6 million loan granted to a Nigerian hydro power company

■ Advised Skyway Aviation Handling Company on its merger with Skypower Aviation Handling Company as well as its subsequent IPO and Listing on the NSE valued at NGN6.29 billion (approx. US$17.4 million)

■ Advised Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund Limited on the financing of a US$15 million facility extended to a Nigerian power company

■ Advised Union Bank of Nigeria on the NGN3.84 billion (approx. US$10.7 million) facility to a Nigerian gas company

■ Advised Arnergy Solar Limited on a multi-million US$ equity investment in the company to finance the expansion of its business

The US$1.5 billion financing of phase two of Exxon Mobil’s NGL II project; the US$1.06 billion financing of the 4th and 5th trains of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Plant Expansion project by foreign banks/ECAs; MTN’s acquisition of a GSM licence/development of a mobile telecommunications network in Nigeria; the Nigerian aspects of the US$925 million buy-out of ABB’s oil, gas and petrochemicals upstream business; the first dual listing of a foreign country on the Nigerian Stock Exchange; the first IPP project in Nigeria (involving the installation of nine barge-mounted electricity generating units with a total nominal capacity of 270 MW).