Nigeria 2025 – GC Powerlist
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Nigeria 2025

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

Abisola Oshin- Gbadamosi

Head, legal | CWG

Information technology

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Adebisi Adeola Sanda

Vice President, Legal & Compliance | ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment

Transport and infrastructure

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Adekunle Babatunde Adaramola

Company secretary and legal adviser | Promasidor Nigeria

Food

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Adeola Olumeyan

General Counsel/Head, Compliance and Risk, Africa | Junior Achievement Africa

Non - profit

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Akachukwu Adeyinka Nwokedi

General counsel and company secretary | NLNG

Energy and utilities

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Aramide Nwokediuko

Company secretary, general counsel | Chemical and Allied Products

Energy and utilities

Aramide Nwokediuko is a seasoned legal professional with over two decades of experience in corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, and compliance and a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives...

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Ayokunle Olushola Ayoko

Group company secretary, head of legal and chief compliance officer | CFAO Nigeria

Transport and infrastructure

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Cecilia Ekanem Madueke

Company secretary | Julius Berger

Industrials and real estate

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Chidi Momah

General counsel and company secretary | Nigerian National Petroleum Company

Energy and Utilties

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Christine Sijuwade

Group general counsel & chief operating officer | Tangerine Financial

Financials

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Deborah O. Akhaba Waye

Legal and compliance manager | International Breweries, a part of ABInBev

Food

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Defolu Olufon

General counsel | FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company

Energy and Utilties

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Donald Kanu

Company Secretary/General Counsel/Chief         Compliance Officer | AIICO Insurance

Financials

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Dr Emmanuel Ibekwe

Company secretary | Rainoil

Energy and utilities

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Dr Irene Robinson-Ayanwale

Group Head Audit, Compliance and Risk | OmniRetail Technology

Information technology

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Dr. Marian Reginald-Ukwuoma 

Company secretary, legal counsel | International Breweries

Food

Dr. (Mrs.) Marian Reginald-Ukwuoma brings nearly two decades of experience in both government and corporate environments. She has a solid background in regulatory affairs, government and stakeholder engagement, corporate governance,...

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Edith Onwuchekwa

Director legal and company secretary | Seplat Energy

Energy and Utilties

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Erhi Obebeduo

Group general counsel, company secretary | Guaranty Trust Bank

Financials

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Eze Nicholas Chinedu

Formerly Group general counsel | Nestoil

Energy and utilities

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Hauwa Satomi

Company secretary and chief legal officer | BUA Cement

Materials and mining

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Ifedayo Lawal

Senior director, legal Africa | Coca-Cola Nigeria

Consumer products

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Ifeoma Utah

General manager, commercial legal | MTN

Telecommunication services

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Ifeyinwa Oputa

Cluster head legal, Anglophone West Africa, East and Southern Africa | Novartis

Healthcare

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Israel Danauta

Head, legal services | CHI

Food

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Kehinde Dawodu

Chief Legal Adviser/Head, Legal & Regulatory Department | Ecobank

Financials

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Kingsley Onyewuchi Ohiri

Head , legal services | Fidelity Bank

Financials

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Mabel Nwanosike

Compliance and legal adviser | May & Baker Nigeria

Consumer products

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Michael Osilama Otu

Company SecretaryGeneral counsel | Zenith Bank

Financials

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Mosadoluwa P. Adeleke-Abagun

Regional Compliance and Ethics Counsel, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) | Oracle

Information technology

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Olasumbo Abolaji

General counsel | Honeywell Group

Transport and infrastructure

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Olawale Badru

Chief legal counsel | MRS Oil Nigeria

Energy and utilities

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Olawonuola Joseph-Condotti

Group MD/CEO | West Power and Gas

Energy and utilities

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Oluseye Olufunmilayo  Alayande

Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer | BUA Group

Materials and mining

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Olushola Osinubi

Senior Director of Legal | Andela

Commercial and professional services

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Omowunmi Mabel Adewusi

General counsel | AXA Mansard Insurance

Financials

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Oyindamola Oyeduntan

Formerly legal counsel/ company secretary | Heirs Energies

Energy and utilities

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Sesan Sobowale

Head, legal services | Union Bank of Nigeria

Financials

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Shola Adeyemi

Chief legal and regulatory affairs officer | Airtel Networks

Telecommunication services

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Stanley Chikwendu

Group head legal and regulatory management | Transnational Corporation

Energy and Utilties

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Temitope Oluwatosin

Head of legal, Africa | PZ Cussons

Consumer products

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Uaboi G. Agbebaku

Company Secretary & Legal director | Nigerian Breweries (part of Heineken)

Food

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Abayomi Adebanjo

General counsel | MainOne Cable Company

Telecommunication services

Abidemi Ademola

Legal director and company secretary | Guinness Nigeria

Food

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Abiodun Peters

Head of legal region 2 | Coca-Cola HBC

Consumer products

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Adesua Dozie

Regional general counsel | Exxon Mobil

Energy & Utilities

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Adewunmi Alode

General counsel and company secretary | Lafarge Africa

Industrials and real estate

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Ajibola Olomola

Partner and head of deal advisory, M&A, Tax | KPMG

Commercial and professional services

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Akin Olagbende

General counsel and chief compliance officer | Geregu Power

Energy and utilities

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Amaka Obiora

Head of legal and group company secretary | Caverton Offshore Support Group

Transport and infrastructure

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Anthony Mogekwu

Deputy General Manager | Stanbic IBTC

Financials

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Ayotola Jagun

Company secretary & Chief compliance officer | Oando

Energy and utilities

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Chikelue Oguejiofor

Head of legal and compliance | A.P. Moller -Maersk

Transport and infrastructure

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Conrad Eberemu

Company secretary and legal adviser | Conoil

Energy and Utilties

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Derin Adefulu

Group Executive General Counsel | emPLE Nigeria

Financials

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Edward Imoedemhe

General counsel and company secretary | Dangote Cement

Materials & Mining

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Fola Akande

Chief counsel, West Africa, company secretary | Cadbury

Consumer products

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Frederick Ichekwai

Company secretary and legal director | GSK Consumer Nigeria

Consumer products

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Idoko Ochai

Legal lead, Western Africa | Paystack

Financials

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Ijeoma Bassey

General counsel | Chevron Nigeria

Energy and Utilties

Ikechukwu Ekwueme

Managing Counsel, Global Litigation, Sub-Saharan Africa | The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria

Energy and utilities

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Imowo Robert

Group head, legal | Access Bank

Financials

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Johnson Lebile

General counsel | Wema Bank

Financials

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Joseph Jibunoh

Company secretary and legal advisor | Africa Prudential

Financials

Joseph Umolu

Company secretary and group director, legal services | Flour Mills of Nigeria

Consumer products

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Kem Agboti

Head, legal and corporate affairs | Seven Up Bottling Company

Consumer products

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Khadija Belgore-Yusuf

Head, legal and compliance, Nigeria | Rendeavour

Industrials and real estate

Madonna Okpaleke

Head of legal sub-saharan africa | Reckitt Benckiser

Healthcare

Madonna Okpaleke is a legal and compliance professional with over 20 years of experience advising multinational organizations across Africa and Europe. She currently serves as the Head of Legal for...

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Michael Agamah

General counsel and company secretary | Keystone Bank

Financials

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Okechukwu Oko

Head, legal services | UBA

Financials

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Okezie Tochukwu

Chief legal officer and company secretary | Interswitch Group

Financials

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Oladeinde Nelson-Cole

Company secretary and general counsel | Ardova

Energy and utilities

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Oladele Agboola

General counsel & Company Secretary | Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems

Financials

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Olakunle Olusanya

Director & General Secretary West Africa | Danone (Fan Milk)

Consumer products

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Olubukola Olateru

Head of legal Sub-Saharan Africa cluster and company secretary | FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria

Consumer products

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Olufunmilayo Adedibu

Group general counsel and group company secretary | FCMB Group

Financials

Olutola Bella

Formerly Deputy Chief Legal Officer | Moove

Financials

Olutola Bella is a senior corporate counsel with significant experience in corporate finance, banking, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and corporate and commercial law. He was, until recently, Deputy Chief...

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Rachael Olowoshile

Group head, legal services | Providus Bank

Financials

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Raymond Mgbeokwere

General counsel | First Bank of Nigeria

Financials

Shadrach Iguh

General counsel | InfraCredit

Financials

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Shofola Osho

Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser | Development Bank of Nigeria

Financials

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Sola Mabadeje

Head of Legal, Nigeria & West Africa | Standard Chartered

Financials

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Sunday Oroleke

Head, legal and compliance | Leadway Assurance

Financials

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Temitayo Adegoke

Chief legal counsel and company secretary | Sterling Financial Holdings

Financials

Temitope Esther Adenaike

General Counsel/Company Secretary | Coronation Group

Financials

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Tolulope Adetugbo

Company secretary/Head, legal | FBN Capital

Financials

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Tolulope Fadipe

Head of legal | Sahara Group

Energy and Utilties

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Wole Onabolu

General counsel | Mastercard Foundation

Non - profit

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Yakubu Belgore

Executive Director | TotalEnergies

Energy and utilities

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Yemi Bamgbose

State Counsel | Lagos State Government

Public sector

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Yemisi Diya-Salawu

Director, legal | IHS Towers

Telecommunication services

It is with great pleasure that usher in the second edition of the GC Powerlist Nigeria 2025, a celebration of the most influential and innovative in-house lawyers shaping the future of Nigeria’s legal and business landscape.

At The Legal 500, we continue to take immense pride in recognizing outstanding legal talent worldwide, and Nigeria’s legal market continues to impress with its sophistication, and resilience. This edition of the GC Powerlist: Nigeria is the result of months of extensive research, countless interviews, and careful analysis to identify the standout in-house counsel who are driving change, fostering innovation, and providing strategic leadership in their organizations.

We are especially thrilled to have partnered with TNP to bring this research to life. Their deep understanding of the Nigerian legal market has been invaluable in making this publication a reality. The GC Powerlist has become a global benchmark for excellence in in-house legal practice, and its continued success worldwide is a testament to the strength and impact of the legal professionals we celebrate today.

Congratulations to all those featured in this year’s GC Powerlist Nigeria. Your work not only advances your organizations but also elevates the broader legal community. We, at The Legal 500, look forward to witnessing your continued success and contributions to the legal profession.

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Supported by

Supported by logo

GC Summit: Brazil 2025

The Legal 500 Brazil Forum gathered a distinguished cohort of legal professionals, business leaders, and regulatory experts for a full day of thought leadership, collaboration, and strategic dialogue in São Paulo. As Brazil enters a new chapter of regulatory transformation and economic complexity, the forum provided a timely and comprehensive platform to examine the legal developments shaping the country’s business environment—both domestically and in the global arena.

The day began with a warm welcome from The Legal 500, who underscored the forum’s mission: to foster meaningful discussions around the critical legal and commercial shifts currently defining Brazil’s future.

Opening the programme was a compelling panel focused on the intersection of intellectual property and data protection, supported by Lefosse Advogados. Drawing lessons from the life sciences, data infrastructure, and technology sectors, the session explored how these once-separate domains are now deeply intertwined, and how legal departments must adopt integrated strategies to manage risk and drive innovation. Speakers highlighted the pressing need for future-proofed governance structures capable of withstanding regulatory volatility and technological disruption.

The conversation then moved into the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence in corporate investigations. In a session shaped by Iokoi advogados, panellists examined how AI is transforming evidence gathering, fraud detection, and legal analysis. The use of advanced technologies to enhance investigatory efficiency and minimise human error was a central theme, with participants calling for careful balancing between innovation, privacy, and ethical oversight.

Demarest Advogados supported the following panel, which tackled one of the most significant legal shifts in recent Brazilian history: tax reform. With the country undertaking a sweeping overhaul of its tax regime—including the consolidation of indirect taxes into a VAT-like system—speakers analysed both the immediate and long-term implications for businesses. The discussion was grounded in practicality, focusing on compliance readiness, corporate restructuring, and the transitional challenges that in-house legal teams must now navigate.

In collaboration with TozziniFreire Advogados, the spotlight then turned to agribusiness, a sector at the heart of Brazil’s economy. This panel addressed the pressing challenges posed by both tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, with particular attention to environmental compliance, traceability, and international market access. While regulatory constraints were a recurring concern, the session also explored how these challenges can give rise to new opportunities for innovation and market differentiation within the sector.

After the lunch break, the agenda resumed with an urgent and timely session on crisis management, presented with the support of Veirano Advogados. From product recalls and data breaches to regulatory probes and environmental incidents, panellists drew from real-world experience to build a 360-degree framework for crisis readiness. Prevention, internal communications, stakeholder management, and reputational recovery were all addressed, providing legal leaders with a strategic toolkit for navigating high-stakes scenarios.

The final panel of the day, held in partnership with Cascione Advogados, explored strategic planning in an increasingly competitive and uncertain landscape. Against a backdrop of tax reform, global trade frictions, and shifting political alliances, the discussion centred on risk mitigation, adaptability, and long-term value creation. Speakers shared how legal teams can play a proactive role in shaping business strategy amid regulatory upheaval, turning legal foresight into competitive advantage.

As the event came to a close, guests gathered for drinks and canapés—an elegant and convivial end to a day marked by rich dialogue, expert insight, and meaningful connection.