Our firm is retained as external solicitor to a good number of the nation’s top commercial banks. Our firm counsels clients regarding the preparation and perfection of all forms of security documentation. These include legal and equitable mortgages, project finance agreements, debentures, debenture trust deeds and debt-rescheduling agreements.

Al-Mudharabah, Al-Morabahah, Ijara (and their variants ) are terms we are quite familiar with. Our firm is a leader in the emerging Islamic banking and finance sub-sector. We advise clients participating in Jaiz International Plc – the only banking and financial services enterprise in Nigeria modeled on Islamic principles.

We also have expertise in the procedure for applying for and obtaining statutory licenses.

Our firm assists in every sphere of corporate activity – from promotion and incorporation of companies under local statutes to obtaining every requisite permit or license necessary for the commencement of business or operations.

Our firm’s company secretarial service includes serving as registered office to incorporated companies, attending and providing legal advice at company meetings and the preparation and filing of all appropriate statutory returns.

Foreign corporations desirous of carrying on business in Nigeria would find our company secretarial service invaluable. We assist them with obtaining expatriate quotas, approved/pioneer status or exemption from incorporation, and such other services as might facilitate profitable undertakings for them.

We also assist clients with:

• advice on all laws and procedures for foreign investments and international trade;
• negotiation/preparation of all types of partnership/joint venture/profit sharing agreements;
• advisory services on local labour laws in addition to negotiating and drafting of employment service contracts;
• mergers, takeovers acquisitions;
• management buy-out, management buy-in arrangements;
• negotiation and preparation of franchise agreements;
• preparation of management , technical and service agreements;
• Contract procurement, government liaison and consultancy.

We provide advice on compliance with environmental protection statutes and adherence to Environmental Protection Agency directives .We also provide advisory services in relation to preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments, for amongst others mining concessions and crude oil/gas exploration and transportation projects. We also advice clients on terms of compensation for environmental violations/ degradation.

Our firm is the foremost IP practice north of the River Niger. Our professional inputs into clients business activity is highly regarded and sought after in relation to IP issues. Our firm registers, protects (through surveillance and litigation) and documents the licensing of trademarks, patents, industrial designs and service marks for both indigenous and foreign corporations.

We also represent media and creative arts practitioners in the negotiation of the terms for the engagement and profitable exploitation of their skills and creative works.

Our excellent relationship with the Trademarks and Patents Office at Abuja and a thorough understanding of the IP protection and infringement remediation processes under Nigerian Law puts us at a vantage position to providing clients with a first rate service and value for money.

Our firm has a cordial working relationship with the legal and business development divisions of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (N.N.P.C), the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the National Petroleum Investments Management Services (NAPIMS) and other regulatory agencies of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. We are thus able to counsel clients and investors in the upstream and downstream sectors on:

• procurement of all approvals necessary for entry into the industry;
• applications for oil exploration/prospecting licenses/acreage allocation;
• advise with regards to the Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) and the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) as it regulates gas development projects;
• negotiation and preparation of every type of oil and gas contracts;
• Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) and Memorandum of understanding (MOU);
• application for location at the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone;
• negotiation and preparation of oil and gas projects’ finance agreements;
• Environmental law compliance.

Our firm’s shipping practice provides clients (particularly merchant businesses in our locations in Kano and Lagos) with a comprehensive range of services, which include:

• the negotiation and documentation of contracts of carriage of goods by sea;
• the sale, purchase, mortgage of ships;
• time, voyage or bare-boat charters;
• marine insurance claims;
• cargo disputes (short loading and landing),
• Ship service contracts.

Our firm can also speedily effect the arrest and release of ships, and aircraft.

Our firm is one of the foremost amongst those with competencies in solid minerals and natural law nationwide. We advise, assist and procure approvals for clients regarding:

• entry into the mining industry;
• prospecting rights / licenses;
• the negotiation of mining leases and licenses;
• mineral exportation and trading concessions.

Our utilities practice is devoted to serving the emerging utilities sector of the Nigerian economy (i.e. generation, transmission / transportation, sale and distribution of water, gas, electricity and the provision of telephony services as economic goods).

Our firm provides advisory and representative services to government, utility corporations, service providers and other stakeholders with regards to the legal modeling and framework, regulatory, proprietary rights, interconnection and project finance.

Our firm is also involved in the negotiation and preparation of service contracts, management contracts, lease contracts, joint venture agreements, the legal structures for tariff regimes and regulatory organs and the resolution of environmental issues.

Our real estate practice involves us handling a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions and land use matters for our clients. We regularly advise on transactions structure, prepare financing documentation and obtain statutory approvals and exceptions on behalf of clients. We also handle the leasing, purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties.