G. Elias & Co > Lagos, Nigeria > Firm Profile

G. Elias & Co > The Legal 500 Rankings

Nigeria > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 1

G. Elias & Co advises high-profile clients in the energy space, with an emphasis on oil-related investments, alongside international financial institutions and Nigerian state bodies, on a number of complex cross-border financial transactions and credit products. The prominent capital market practice has a broad offering, including IPOs, corporate, state and parastatal bonds, asset-backed securities, and commercial paper issuances. Fred Onuobia advises on notable financial transactions in both the public and private sectors, with a core practice in derivatives and repurchase transactions, while Gbolahan Elias has experience working in high-profile project finance and syndicated lending matters. Segun Omoregie works primarily in capital markets.

Nigeria > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

G. Elias & Co continues to be highly active in M&A, advising various major global entities on high-value, business-critical transactions with a particular focus on banking and financial services. The firm also has experience in other aspects of commercial and corporate law, covering compliance, private equity, and corporate governance, and working within a range of other sectors, such as oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and TMT. The highly experienced Segun Omoregie advises on major deals within West Africa, working alongside key figure Gbolahan Elias who brings his broad expertise to most of the firm’s ongoing transactions. Fred Onuobia is also of note, supplementing his corporate work with his knowledge of financial matters.

Nigeria > Dispute resolution Tier 1

G. Elias & Co represents high-profile clients in relation to disputes across the full range of sectors, also providing advisory work to entities in relation to potential arbitration and litigation in Nigeria. Gbolahan Elias brings extensive experience in arbitration, and is highly active in disputes relating to tax, real estate, shipping, and oil and gas. Fred Onuobia has headed the team in relation to a number of mandates in the banking and finance space, while Fidelis Adewole‘s work centres on arbitration matters and tax disputes. Other notable team members include Stephen Arubike, who has a focus on taxation, capital markets, banking, and energy disputes, and Abubakar Anafi who has also worked on real estate, employment, and share price manipulation disputes.

Nigeria > Real estate and construction Tier 1

G. Elias & Co works primarily in financing mandates for infrastructure and construction, advising on the acquisition and divestment of real estate assets and construction projects. The firm also has a strong advisory and transactional offering for construction, working across a range of sectors in Nigeria such as healthcare, transport, and luxury residential properties. Fred Onuobia leads the team, employing his broader experience in corporate and commercial matters to both public and private clients in real estate. Fidelis Adewole is also of note, with experience in due diligence and project structuring.

Nigeria > Shipping and transport Tier 1

G. Elias & Co specialises in financing work, focusing on major infrastructure projects, vessel sale and purchase, and aviation insolvency work, while also being capable in dispute resolution and M&A in the transport space. Gbolahan Elias has advised on a number of high-profile infrastructure deals and transport service agreements, working alongside Fidelis Adewole, whose experience is primarily in transactional work. Okechukwu Okoro is also noted for providing expertise in freight and infrastructure matters.

Nigeria > Energy and natural resources Tier 2

G. Elias & Co advises a number of IOCs and state bodies in respect of the full range of energy matters, including the divestment of upstream oil assets and novel work within the renewables space. Other strong areas for the firm are regulatory matters and advisory work for upstream oil production. Gbolahan Elias has experience in both transactional and regulatory matters in the energy industry, while Fred Onuobia focuses on financing-related matters; the duo works alongside Segun Omoregie and Okechukwu Okoro who are likewise integral to the practice.