How is the budget allocated across different functions within your legal team (e.g., litigation, compliance, contract management)? could you explain the criteria and process used to define these allocations?

The legal budget is allocated across key functional areas, primarily litigation and dispute management, compliance and regulatory matters, and contract management and advisory support.

Litigation and dispute management typically accounts for the largest portion of the budget, given the unpredictability of disputes, statutory timelines, and the need for external counsel in complex or high-value matters. Allocations are informed by ongoing cases, potential exposures, and past litigation trends.

Budget for compliance and regulatory matters is allocated to ensure continuous adherence to sector-specific regulations, filings, and engagement with regulators. The allocation reflects upcoming compliance obligations and changes in the legal or regulatory environment.

Contract management and legal advisory covers routine commercial advisory work, contract drafting and review for complex agreements, and transactional support. Allocation is based on expected business activity, the project pipeline, and internal workload that can be handled in-house versus requiring external support.

The budget is developed annually through a forward-looking assessment of planned activities, known risks, and strategic initiatives, benchmarked against prior-year expenditure. Input is obtained from the legal team and key business stakeholders, with allocations reviewed and approved as part of the broader corporate budgeting process. The budget is monitored throughout the year and adjusted where necessary to respond to unforeseen litigation or regulatory developments.

What factors influence your decision to use external legal services versus handling matters in-house, and what criteria are used to evaluate their performance?

The decision to engage external legal services versus handling matters in-house is influenced by several key factors, including complexity, risk profile, capacity, specialisation, and urgency.

In-house handling is preferred for matters that are routine, low to medium risk, or closely aligned with the team’s existing expertise, such as standard contract reviews, day-to-day advisory support, and ongoing compliance matters. It is also chosen where institutional knowledge and close engagement with the business are critical.

External legal services are engaged for matters involving high financial or reputational risk, specialised or technical legal expertise (for example, complex litigation, constitutional or appellate matters, or tax and competition law), jurisdictional requirements, or situations where statutory timelines and workload exceed in-house capacity.

External legal service providers are evaluated on the quality and accuracy of their legal advice, timeliness and responsiveness, commercial awareness and understanding of the business, cost-effectiveness and adherence to agreed fee structures, outcome management and risk mitigation, and professionalism, communication, and reporting quality. Performance is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and quarterly during performance review discussions, with continued engagement dependent on consistent delivery, value for money, and alignment with the organisation’s legal and ethical standards.

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past twelve months

Regulatory and Compliance Engagements
As a multinational company, one of the key challenges has been navigating local content requirements and their impact on our operations. A major focus this year was intensifying continuous engagement with regulators and key industry stakeholders. Through persistent dialogue and regulatory support, we were able to obtain clarity that allowed the business to proceed with its operations without restrictions.

The legal team also played a pivotal role in securing regulatory approvals for agreements and advising the business on compliance with sector-specific and evolving obligations. This included managing submissions, responding to regulatory queries, and ensuring alignment with Ghana’s legal and policy framework. By actively engaging regulators and stakeholders, we were able to mitigate risks, support operational continuity, and embed compliance into strategic business decisions, ensuring that local content considerations were addressed while maintaining the company’s growth and efficiency objectives.

Contractual Framework Review and Negotiation
Another major focus area for 2025 at Vivo Energy Ghana was the review, drafting, and negotiation of commercial contracts across the business. This included a variety of agreements as well as amendments to existing contracts, with a strong emphasis on risk mitigation and alignment with strategic business objectives.

Key achievements included the implementation of standardised templates and approval workflows, significantly reducing turnaround time for new agreements and renewals. Operational, financial, and regulatory risks in key contracts were proactively identified and mitigated, protecting the company’s interests. The legal team worked closely with commercial, operations, and finance teams to ensure contractual terms aligned with business objectives, improving clarity and execution. All contracts were ensured to adhere to sector-specific regulations and internal governance standards, supporting both operational efficiency and legal compliance.

Through this project, the legal team strengthened the company’s contractual framework, enabling the business to operate confidently while driving growth and strategic initiatives.

Strengthening Corporate Governance
In 2025, one of the legal team’s strategic priorities at Vivo Energy Ghana was strengthening corporate governance. By streamlining board processes, decisions are made faster and with better visibility into key business risks, enabling timely strategic action. Enhanced internal controls and compliance frameworks have reduced operational and regulatory risks, minimised potential penalties, and ensured smooth audits.

A strong focus on capacity building increased awareness among directors and senior management, resulting in more informed discussions and consistent application of governance standards across the business. Proactive engagement with regulators has also improved the company’s credibility and reputation, ensuring approvals and filings are completed efficiently. Overall, these efforts have created a more transparent, accountable, and resilient governance environment, supporting strategic growth, strengthening stakeholder confidence, and allowing the business to pursue new initiatives with reduced risk exposure.

Litigation and Dispute Management
The legal team successfully managed a range of potential litigation matters, including contractual claims, property disputes, and regulatory issues. Key achievements included resolving high-risk cases efficiently, minimising financial exposure, and protecting the company’s reputation. By implementing proactive risk assessments and early settlement strategies, the team reduced the duration and cost of disputes while ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.

Management of external counsel was strengthened through clear engagement and oversight of law firms, ensuring alignment with Vivo Energy’s strategic objectives. Performance metrics and structured reporting were introduced, resulting in improved responsiveness, cost efficiency, and consistent quality of legal services across all external engagements.

Effective budget planning and monitoring allowed the legal function to optimise resource allocation. Through careful tracking of internal and external legal expenditures, cost-saving initiatives, and prioritisation of high-value matters, the team ensured financial efficiency without compromising service quality.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

In my experience at Vivo Energy Ghana, being an effective in-house counsel goes beyond knowing the law. It is about understanding the business and helping it succeed responsibly. For example, when supporting commercial teams on complex fuel supply contracts or retail expansion projects, I balance legal compliance with practical business considerations, ensuring agreements protect the company while allowing operations to proceed efficiently.

In my view, a modern in-house counsel must be proactive and adaptable. With frequent regulatory updates, sustainability requirements, and digitalisation initiatives, the legal team works closely with operations, finance, and compliance to anticipate risks and provide timely guidance. This includes leveraging digital tools to manage contracts, track compliance obligations, and streamline workflows.

Strong communication and collaboration skills are equally critical. Counsel must translate complex legal issues into actionable insights for business colleagues, building trust and enabling faster, informed decision-making. At the same time, integrity and ethical judgment guide every recommendation, ensuring Vivo Energy maintains its reputation and regulatory standing.

Ultimately, a modern in-house counsel sees themselves as a strategic partner, combining legal expertise, commercial insight, and practical problem-solving to help the business grow while remaining compliant and responsible. Adaptability and technological awareness are key, enabling counsel to navigate evolving regulatory environments and embrace digital tools that enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications is working to bridge the digital divide, seeing increased digitalisation throughout the country. What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with Ghana’s data protection laws?

Digital transformation in the legal function has been a gradual and deliberate journey rather than a single event.

We began by recognising that increased digitalisation – particularly in a jurisdiction such as Ghana, where regulatory oversight is evolving – must be built on a foundation of trust, compliance, and data security. The first step was therefore to map how legal information flows within the organisation: what data we hold, where it is stored, who has access to it, and how long it is retained. This allowed us to align our systems and processes with the requirements of Ghana’s Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) from the outset, rather than treating compliance as an afterthought.

From there, we introduced digital tools incrementally. Contract management, document storage, and regulatory filings were prioritised, with a strong preference for secure platforms that offer access controls, audit trails, and data localisation or clear cross-border data safeguards. At each stage, we worked closely with IT and compliance teams to ensure that vendor selection, system configuration, and user access levels met both operational needs and legal obligations.

Equally important were people and culture. Digital transformation only succeeds when users understand not just how to use new tools, but also why safeguards matter. We invested time in training the legal team and key business stakeholders on data protection principles, confidentiality, and cyber-risk awareness, embedding these considerations into everyday legal work.

Throughout the process, we maintained an open line of engagement with regulators and stayed alert to policy and enforcement trends. This ensured that, as our digital capabilities expanded, we remained compliant, resilient, and aligned with national efforts to close the digital divide.

In essence, our strategy has been to move forward with technology thoughtfully, embracing digital efficiency while ensuring that compliance with Ghana’s data protection framework remains central to the operation of the legal department.

Considering recent developments, such as the country’s plan for a 24-hour economy, sustainability agenda and increasing digitalisation, are there any trends of which you think in-house lawyers should be mindful?

At Vivo Energy Ghana, the shift towards a 24-hour economy, rising sustainability expectations, and rapid digitalisation is reshaping how we operate and how the legal team adds value. When our commercial teams roll out new retail sites or negotiate fuel supply contracts, we rely on digital tools to manage contracts, track approvals, and ensure compliance in real time. This allows operations to proceed efficiently while keeping data secure and meeting the requirements of Ghana’s Data Protection Act.

Sustainability is not just a goal – it is integrated into every project. For example, when improving energy efficiency at service stations or engaging suppliers on environmental standards, the legal team guides regulatory approvals, environmental clauses, and reporting obligations, helping the business achieve green objectives responsibly.

The 24-hour economy introduces practical challenges, from labour laws to safety and licensing. By engaging early with operations and HR, counsel anticipates risks, embeds safeguards, and ensures smooth, compliant round-the-clock operations. Through these efforts, the legal team acts as a strategic partner, combining expertise with practical solutions to drive growth responsibly.