Nigeria 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Vice President, Legal & Compliance | ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment
General Counsel/Head, Compliance and Risk, Africa | Junior Achievement Africa
Company secretary, general counsel | Chemical and Allied Products
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...
Group company secretary, head of legal and chief compliance officer | CFAO Nigeria
General counsel and company secretary | Nigerian National Petroleum Company
Legal and compliance manager | International Breweries, a part of ABInBev
General counsel | FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company
Group Head Audit, Compliance and Risk | OmniRetail Technology
Company secretary, legal counsel | International Breweries
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,...
Cluster head legal, Anglophone West Africa, East and Southern Africa | Novartis
Regional Compliance and Ethics Counsel, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) | Oracle
Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer | BUA Group
Formerly legal counsel/ company secretary | Heirs Energies
Chief legal and regulatory affairs officer | Airtel Networks
Group head legal and regulatory management | Transnational Corporation
Partner and head of deal advisory, M&A, Tax | KPMG
Head of legal and group company secretary | Caverton Offshore Support Group
Managing Counsel, Global Litigation, Sub-Saharan Africa | The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
Company secretary and group director, legal services | Flour Mills of Nigeria
Head of legal sub-saharan africa | Reckitt Benckiser
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...
General counsel & Company Secretary | Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems
Head of legal Sub-Saharan Africa cluster and company secretary | FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria
Formerly Deputy Chief Legal Officer | Moove
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...
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.
Last week, Legal 500 had the absolute pleasure of celebrating the launch of the GC Powerlist Canada 2026. With the skylines of Toronto and Vancouver as our incredible backdrop, we gathered at DLA Piper’s offices in both cities with some of the most prestigious names in the country’s in-house legal community.
Behind those names, titles and recognitions are exceptional professionals who, over the past year, have demonstrated remarkable resilience, a commitment to innovation, and an impeccable understanding of what it means to be a good leader in a profession that is under constant pressure and change.
During the evening, Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this year’s GC Powerlist Canada, welcomed attendees and shared the findings of this year’s research. Throughout the past year, key themes emerged, including resilience in the face of uncertainty, the responsible integration of AI into the legal function, and the growing strategic role of the general counsel within the business.
What stood out most during the research was how the legal leaders recognised in this year’s Powerlist understand that the lasting impact of their achievements must be grounded in a leadership style that always puts people first.
During our events, Russel Drew, Partner and CEO at DLA Piper Canada in Toronto, and Brian Hiebert, Partner at DLA Piper Canada in Vancouver, also shared words of encouragement and gratitude, recognising the important and valuable contributions that our powerlisters make to their organisations and to the broader legal profession.
We would like to thank DLA Piper for its support in fostering these opportunities to bring together the in-house legal community around the world.
And to our powerlisters, congratulations on a truly well-deserved recognition. It was a great pleasure to host you and learn more about your experiences and achievements. Thank you for being part of our GC community, and we hope to see you again soon.
Carmen Godoy Martin – Lead editor GC Powerlist Canada 2026.
