The Legal 500

Felicia Kemi Segun of Adepetun Caxton-Martins, Agbor & Segun is one of Lagos’s premier experts in the energy sector, covering M&A as well as concessions, contractual agreements, IPPs and regulatory matters for a mixed client base. An example of the firm’s standing in the market is its work on the major Sao-Tome and Principe Joint Development Zone.

AELEX is a ‘relative newcomer but a very good firm’ according to clients, and from its Port Harcourt base is well placed to advise on the oil sector. Soji Awogbade is International Director on the Board of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) and is also co-chair of the Nigerian sub-committee. Awogbade is a well-respected name in the industry and an environmental law expert. The team is currently advising the federal government on the legal framework for Nigeria’s domestic gas supply and advising the sponsors on a $6bn 22 MTPA NGL facility in the Free Trade Zone. ‘The quality of their advice has been consistently good’ remarked one client.

Aluko & Oyebode has unparalleled experience of the energy sector, both on project financings and corporate work for oil companies. Gbenga Oyebode is one of Lagos’s best lawyers, his ‘fantastic practice’ being very well thought of by multinational clients and international law firms for referrals. The firm has been intimately involved in the all the big-ticket projects of recent years. It continues to advise the sponsors Brass on the huge multi-billion dollar Brass LNG Project (where White & Case LLP International Lawyers is international counsel); and has also just closed a supplemental $220m financing for Exxon Mobil and NNPC for the NGL 2 Project.

International clients often turn to five-partner Lagos firm F.O. Akinrele & Co, which is the retained advisor to Exxon and BP Amoco. Adedolapo Akinrele has a broad commercial practice, with good experience of M&A, joint ventures, commercial agreements and disputes within the sector. He is ‘making quite a name for himself in oil and gas’. In 2008, Akinrele advised Chevron Holdings and Svenska Petroleum on various high-profile acquisitions.

Port Harcourt-based Solola & Akpana is experienced in both upstream and downstream energy matters for international clients such as Total and Daewoo. Tope Solola in particular has a good name in the market, and recently provided advice to the Petroleum Committee of the Federal House of Representatives. Solola regularly acts for Moni Pulo, Nigeria’s leading oil exploration company.

Templars Barristers and Solicitors is one of Lagos’s best-organised and most modern firms. Oghogho Akpata heads the energy group, and along with corporate and commercial leader Olumide Akpata has been working on the restructuring of the Nigerian electricity sector. Impressive junior Dayo Okusami also gets good references from clients. In 2008, the team advised Japanese Gas and one of the largest Spanish utility companies on their proposed participation in the world’s first floating liquid natural gas (LNG) project.

Ajumogobia & Okeke has a solid record in oil and gas commercial work. It has a first-class client base, huge experience in the sector, and is very well connected. Partner H Odein Ajumogobia SAN is the current Oil Minister. One client remarked that ‘I have been very impressed with the firm’s understanding of the commercial and financial issues surrounding oil and gas investments’.

Fidelis Oditah & Co is a relative newcomer to the energy scene in Lagos, but in Edith Ekwugha has an experienced lawyer with access to an enviable client base. The firm undertakes a massive amount of work for Shell, covering joint ventures, tax and production sharing agreements as well as a host of disputes. In 2008, the team advised ExxonMobil on Nigerian tax matters.

G. Elias & Co. is a good bet amongst Lagos’s mid-size general commercial firms for energy sector work, with experience of energy disputes, M&A, projects and commercial work for African and multinational clients. In 2008, the team advised the federal government of Nigeria on the placement of shares in 11 oil service companies; and also advised Shell Petroleum Nigeria on plans to acquire National Oil.

Jackson, Etti & Edu’s major recent transactions have included the Oso Condensate project and the Oso NGL project; as well as advising NNPC negotiating a production sharing agreement with Statoil. Internationally, Jackson, Etti & Edu acts for several exploration companies. Disputes are also a forte, and besides handling various disputes for Baker Hughes’ subsidiaries, it is engaged in a range of energy-related arbitrations. ‘We have been very proud of their performance and the quality of work done,’ commented one client.

Odujinrin & Adefulu is retained by Kellogg Brown & Root for general commercial work, and has recently advised Lafarge Cement WAPCO on the construction of two captive power plants in south western Nigeria. Damilola Odujinrin is a junior lawyer with many admirers (‘she showed a high level of professionalism and proved to be a great resource to our business’), and in 2008 she advised Westerngeco (a major seismic study company) on various regulatory matters relating to seismic activities in Nigerian waters.

Olaniwun Ajayi & Co has good connections with international firms, and has played a key role on some of the country’s most complex and challenging transactions in the energy sector, such as the West Africa Pipeline project, and Nigerian LNG project. In particular, it is a good bet for M&A and commercial agreements in the downstream energy sector, but also has notable experience in oil and gas disputes and capital markets for energy sector clients.

Paul Usoro & Co has been working on various IPPs throughout 2008. Its highlight was working with international projects heavyweight Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP on new generation IPP project finance deals for Geometric Power. The team has been acting for a consortium of top Nigerian banks on the sale of downstream assets of a multinational with assets across six West African countries.

Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie garners excellent client feedback, including praise for its ‘timely’ and ‘practical’ service. Dan Agbor has historically advised the federal government of Nigeria on some of its IPPs, and the firm has much experience acting for Shell and the electricity utility NEPA. In 2008, the firm advised the lenders (with Clifford Chance as international counsel) on a major new generation IPP, the first to have carbon credit from the World Bank.