Skip to main content

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance

Anglophone West Africa

Our Anglophone West Africa practice provides legal advice across Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone and the Gambia.

Led by Olamide Oladosu and Kayode Oladipo, two dual-qualified (Nigeria and England & Wales) lawyers, our team has genuine on-the-ground experience in advising international and locally based businesses, with expertise in delivering international market practice in the regional business environment.

Our clients include financial institutions, industrial conglomerates, companies involved in oil and gas (operators as well as suppliers), construction companies, transportation companies, financial investors and private equity funds as well as public institutions and agencies.

A dedicated team

Our team comprises partners and associates, many of them with deep roots and experience in the relevant jurisdictions. They are spread across our global network, including offices in London, Germany, Amsterdam, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, China and Japan. Our team includes lawyers who are well-recognised as regional and subject-matter experts in their respective fields. We are familiar with the relevant underlying business issues, risks and local considerations for each jurisdiction, ensuring that we consistently provide the best and most pragmatic commercial advice to enable our clients achieve their commercial objectives in the most innovative and efficient manner.

Full coverage

Our coverage of the region includes a wide variety of products (from project finance to capital markets, lending, corporate/M&A, and dispute resolution) and sectors (financial services, energy and natural resources, power (conventional and renewables), infrastructure, private equity, telecoms, media and technology (including fintech), healthcare, commercial real estate, FMCG). We have advised on many of the market-first transactions in the region and also have experience with political risk mitigants (including the use of bilateral investment treaties, insurance and agency support).

A commitment to the region

We are actively involved in many pro bono, educational and community programmes across the region, including advising on legal reforms and the establishment of local charities. Our Clifford Chance Academy trains lawyers across the region, and we have supported the Sickle Cell Foundation.

 

Our core areas of focus across Anglophone West Africa

Corporate / M&A / Private Equity

Our recent experience includes advising:

Banking

Our recent experience includes advising:

Capital Markets

In Nigeria, we have become the go-to firm for Nigerian issuers acting for Access Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, Fidelity Bank, First City Monument Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank.

Dispute Resolution

Our recent experience includes:

  • Defending a consortium of international oil companies in an ICC arbitration (Nigeria)
  • Advising shareholders of a Nigerian mobile operator in a US$1.5 billion UNCITRAL dispute in Lagos concerning alleged breaches of pre-emption rights
  • Advising a consortium of oil companies in relation to disputes arising out of long-term LNG sale contracts and the construction of liquefaction and regasification plants in West Africa

 

More information

Directory and client comments

  • Clifford Chance is a highly respected international firm that maintains its involvement in a variety of commercial matters in Nigeria. It is often sought out for private equity matters, in addition to M&A mandates and project financing. The firm represents blue-chip global clients from a range of industries, including finance, energy and natural resources.
    Nigeria Corporate/Commercial (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Co-head of Clifford Chance’s London corporate practice, Nigel Wellings assists clients across Africa on a range of M&A and private equity transactions. He has particular expertise in the retail, energy and financial services sector.
    “Nigel is our go-to adviser on larger transactions in Africa. His team have the scale and experience to provide confidence and reassurance to clients.”
    “He is always responsive and his input invaluable. He builds a good team of associates around him but he himself is never far from the action.”
    Nigeria Corporate/Commercial (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2024
  • Dual-qualified in Nigeria and England & Wales, Olamide Oladosu advises clients on a variety of corporate topics, including divestments, takeovers and partnership agreements. He also has substantial expertise in energy and oil and gas projects; and regularly works with lenders and sponsors.
    “I have worked with Olamide Oladosu for several years and he is one of the strongest practitioners in Clifford Chance with a good view of Africa.”
    Nigeria Corporate/Commercial (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2024
  • London-based Olamide Oladosu is noted for his experiences advising clients on project developments as well as transactions in the power and oil and gas sectors in Nigeria.
    Nigeria Projects & Energy (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2023, 2024
  • Dubai-based Edmund Boyo is notable for his deep experience of the Nigerian projects and energy market. He regularly advises on project finance matters in the oil and gas, mining and infrastructure spaces.
    Nigeria Projects & Energy (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Olamide Oladosu of Clifford Chance debuts in the table this year. He undertakes sophisticated work in the energy sector; including advising both lenders and sponsors on project financing and refinancing. He is dual-qualified in Nigeria and the UK. He is based in London.
    Ghana Projects & Energy (Expertise Based Abroad) – Chambers Global 2024

Awards

  • Export Finance Deal of the Year 2022 – Tamale Water Project, Ghana – IJ Global Africa Awards
  • Capital Markets Deal of the Year 2022 – Access Bank Tier-1 Eurobonds, Nigeria – IFLR Africa Awards
  • International Bank/FI Bond Deal of the Year 2022  Access Bank USD 500m 144a/RegS Perpetual NC5.25 Bond, Nigeria – Bonds & Loans Africa Awards
  • Africa Deal of the Year 2021 – TNOG Hybrid Finance, Nigeria – PFI Awards
  • Africa Hybrid Finance Deal of the Year 2021 – TNOG Hybrid Finance, Nigeria – IJ Global Awards
  • International Bank/FI Bond Deal of the Year 2021 – First Bank of Nigeria USD 350m 144a/RegS Senior Unsecured Bond, Nigeria – Bonds & Loans Africa Awards
  • International Sovereign, Supra & Agency Bond Deal of the Year 2021  Africa Finance Corporation USD 700m RegS Senior Unsecured Bond, Nigeria – Bonds & Loans Africa Awards
  • Restructuring Deal of the Year 2020 – Savannah Petroleum / Seven Energy, Nigeria – IFLR Sub-Saharan Africa Awards
  • Project finance: energy, infrastructure and natural resources Deal of the Year 2020 – Genser Captive Power Project, Ghana – IFLR Sub-Saharan Africa Awards
  • African Corporate Debt Deal of the Year 2020 – IHS Towers, Nigeria – Africa Bonds & Loans Africa Awards
  • African Power Deal of the Year 2019 – Bridge power, Ghana – IJ Global Awards
  • African Power Deal of the Year 2019 – Bridge power, Ghana – PFI Awards
  • African Upstream Oil & Gas Deal of the Year 2017 – Vitol Sankofa OCTP (Upstream Oil & Gas), Ghana – IJ Global Awards
  • African Power Deal of the Year 2016 – Amandi Energy Power Plant, Ghana – PFI Awards and IJ Global Awards
  • African Oil & Gas Deal of the Year 2016 – Offshore Cape Three Points Integrated Oil & gas Project, Ghana – PFI Awards
  • Africa Multi-sources Financing Deal of the Year 2015 – Azura Edo IPP, Nigeria – IJ Global Awards
  • EMEA Deal of the Year 2015 – Kosmos Financing & Refinancing, Ghana – Trade Finance

Resources

Careers

Start your career with Clifford Chance, where the brightest minds work as one team for our clients.

Apply now

News

Read about our latest work for clients, news and awards.

Read our news

Briefings

Our guides, briefings and insights keep our clients up to date with the latest legal developments.

Find briefings

Meet our people with expertise in Africa

Search our people

Search