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Key contacts
Partner: Tiwalola Osazuwa
Quick facts
Number of lawyers

66

Number of partners

9

International network memberships

Nigerian member of the World Services Group and Meritas; our lawyers are members of American Bar Association, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, International Bar Association, International Project Finance Association, London Court of International Arbitration, amongst others

Languages

English, French

Key practice areas
Banking and finance
Banking
Project finance
Capital markets
Capital markets : Debt
Capital markets : Equity
Financial and corporate
Corporate and M&A
Restructuring and insolvency
M&A
Energy and infrastructure
Project development : Power
Project development : Infrastructure
Restructuring and insolvency
Project development : Energy
Projects
Firm overview

ǼLEX is a leading commercial and dispute resolution law firm. We are one of the largest full-service law firms in West Africa with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana. We merge local expertise and presence, and political and industry-wide connections with an appreciation of global standards.

We provide legal services involving commercial practice areas that cover a broad spectrum of matters relating to Project Finance, Litigation & Arbitration, Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Capital Markets & Securities Law, Power, Tax Law, International Trade Law, Company Secretarial & Regulatory Compliance, Energy & Infrastructure, Banking & Finance Law, Aviation & Maritime Law, Intellectual Property Law, Technology Law, Telecommunications Law, Media & Entertainment and Financial Technology.

Key practice areas
  • Banking and finance
  • Capital markets
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Restructuring and insolvency
Key practice contacts and recent transactional highlights

Mergers & Acquisitions:
Theophilus Emuwa
tiemuwa@aelex.com

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Advised Sanlam on its strategic partnership with the MTN Group, the top telecommunications provider in Nigeria, for joint marketing and distribution of Sanlam’s financial services products in various jurisdictions including Nigeria
  • Transactional Counsel to a private equity firm on its acquisition of a minority interest in Nigeria’s largest aluminium can manufacturer valued at US$300 million. We advised on competition, regulatory and exchange control requirements for the acquisition, reviewed the transaction documents and successfully obtained merger control clearance from the FCCPC.

Capital Markets:
L. Fubara Anga
lfanga@aelex.com

Recent transactional highlights:

  • We acted as Solicitors to AFEX Investment Limited with respect to the issuance of a NGN21Billion asset-backed commercial papers.
  • Transaction Solicitors to a NGN100billion asset-backed commercial paper proposed by a client in the agricultural industry.

Banking & Finance:
L. Fubara Anga
lfanga@aelex.com

Recent transactional highlights:

  • Advising a syndicate of banks on a US$800 million reserved based lending facility in respect of the acquisition of participating interest in an OML.
  • Advising a syndicate of banks on a US$141 million facility in respect of the acquisition of a power plant.
Sector expertise
  • Aviation
  • Banking and financial services
  • Consumer goods and services
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Food and beverage
  • Government and public policy 
  • Healthcare 
  • Insurance 
  • Media
  • Mining 
  • Real estate
  • Shipping 
  • Tech and telecoms
  • Transport
Other offices

ABUJA, NIGERIA
4th Floor, Adamawa Plaza
1st Avenue, off Shehu Shagari Way, Central Business Area
FCT Abuja, Nigeria
T: +234 709 880 8416; 705 029 1874; 806 931 3453
F: + 234 9 5200846
Eabuja@aelex.com

PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
26, Aba Road
P.O. Box 12636, Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria
T: + 234 84 848074; 302998; 464514-5
F: + 234 84 464516
Eportharcourt@aelex.com

ACCRA, GHANA
Suite C, Casa Maria
28 Angola Road, Kuku Hill
P.M.B CT 72 Cantonments Accra, Ghana
T:
 +233 302 224846; 224824

Address:
4th Floor, Marble House
1, Kingsway Road, Falomo, Ikoyi
Lagos
Tel:+234 1 279 3367; 1 461 7321-3 Fax:+234 1 461 7092 Email:Contact Us Web Address:http://www.aelex.com
Rankings published in 2026
Banking
Tier 2
27 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
17 practice areas
View full profile
Banwo & Ighodalo
17 practice areas
View full profile
G Elias & Co
17 practice areas
View full profile
Olaniwun Ajayi
15 practice areas
View full profile
Templars
16 practice areas
View full profile
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
17 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Dentons ACAS-Law
16 practice areas
View profile
Jackson Etti & Edu
17 practice areas
View full profile
Odujinrin & Adefulu
17 practice areas
View profile
ǼLEX
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Abdulai Taiwo & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
Bloomfield LP
12 practice areas
View full profile
Detail Commercial Solicitors
17 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Alliance Law Firm
15 practice areas
View full profile
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
9 practice areas
View full profile
Olajide Oyewole
14 practice areas
View profile
Solola & Akpana
11 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

Advocaat Law Practice
14 practice areas
View full profile
DealHQ Partners
8 practice areas
View profile
Pavestones
6 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

ALP NG & Co
5 practice areas
View full profile
Giwa-Osagie & Co
15 practice areas
View full profile
Greychapel Legal
13 practice areas
View full profile
Ikeyi Shittu & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
Streamsowers & Köhn
14 practice areas
View full profile
Stren & Blan Partners
1 practice area
View full profile
TNP
9 practice areas
View profile
Capital markets : Debt
Tier 2
25 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
17 practice areas
View full profile
Banwo & Ighodalo
17 practice areas
View full profile
G Elias & Co
17 practice areas
View full profile
Olaniwun Ajayi
15 practice areas
View full profile
Templars
16 practice areas
View full profile
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
17 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Jackson Etti & Edu
17 practice areas
View full profile
TNP
9 practice areas
View profile
ǼLEX
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Abdulai Taiwo & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
Alliance Law Firm
15 practice areas
View full profile
Bloomfield LP
12 practice areas
View full profile
Detail Commercial Solicitors
17 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

DealHQ Partners
8 practice areas
View profile
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
9 practice areas
View full profile
Odujinrin & Adefulu
17 practice areas
View profile
SPA Ajibade & Co
8 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 5

ALP NG & Co
5 practice areas
View full profile
Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors
14 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 6

Dentons ACAS-Law
16 practice areas
View profile
Greychapel Legal
13 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

OAKE Legal
9 practice areas
View profile
Olajide Oyewole
14 practice areas
View profile
The Metropolitan Law Firm
4 practice areas
View profile
Wigwe & Partners
2 practice areas
View full profile
Capital markets : Equity
Tier 3
21 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
17 practice areas
View full profile
Banwo & Ighodalo
17 practice areas
View full profile
G Elias & Co
17 practice areas
View full profile
Olaniwun Ajayi
15 practice areas
View full profile
Templars
16 practice areas
View full profile
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
17 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Detail Commercial Solicitors
17 practice areas
View profile

Tier 3

Abdulai Taiwo & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
Jackson Etti & Edu
17 practice areas
View full profile
Odujinrin & Adefulu
17 practice areas
View profile
ǼLEX
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Alliance Law Firm
15 practice areas
View full profile
Dentons ACAS-Law
16 practice areas
View profile

Notable

Advocaat Law Practice
14 practice areas
View full profile
Bloomfield LP
12 practice areas
View full profile
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
9 practice areas
View full profile
Greychapel Legal
13 practice areas
View full profile
OAKE Legal
9 practice areas
View profile
Olajide Oyewole
14 practice areas
View profile
Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors
14 practice areas
View full profile
Wigwe & Partners
2 practice areas
View full profile
M&A
Tier 2
29 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
17 practice areas
View full profile
Banwo & Ighodalo
17 practice areas
View full profile
G Elias & Co
17 practice areas
View full profile
Olaniwun Ajayi
15 practice areas
View full profile
Templars
16 practice areas
View full profile
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
17 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Dentons ACAS-Law
16 practice areas
View profile
Jackson Etti & Edu
17 practice areas
View full profile
ǼLEX
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Bloomfield LP
12 practice areas
View full profile
DealHQ Partners
8 practice areas
View profile
Detail Commercial Solicitors
17 practice areas
View profile
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
9 practice areas
View full profile
Olajide Oyewole
14 practice areas
View profile
Solola & Akpana
11 practice areas
View profile

Tier 4

Abdulai Taiwo & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
ENR Advisory
9 practice areas
View profile
Greychapel Legal
13 practice areas
View full profile
Odujinrin & Adefulu
17 practice areas
View profile
Streamsowers & Köhn
14 practice areas
View full profile
TNP
9 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

Advocaat Law Practice
14 practice areas
View full profile
Alliance Law Firm
15 practice areas
View full profile
Anaje Olumide Oke Akinkugbe (AO2 Law)
6 practice areas
View profile
Ikeyi Shittu & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
OAKE Legal
9 practice areas
View profile
SPA Ajibade & Co
8 practice areas
View full profile

Notable

Pavestones
6 practice areas
View full profile
Perchstone and Graeys
11 practice areas
View profile
Projects
Tier 2
30 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
17 practice areas
View full profile
Banwo & Ighodalo
17 practice areas
View full profile
G Elias & Co
17 practice areas
View full profile
Olaniwun Ajayi
15 practice areas
View full profile
Templars
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Dentons ACAS-Law
16 practice areas
View profile
ENR Advisory
9 practice areas
View profile
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
17 practice areas
View full profile
ǼLEX
16 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Abdulai Taiwo & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
Bloomfield LP
12 practice areas
View full profile
DealHQ Partners
8 practice areas
View profile
Detail Commercial Solicitors
17 practice areas
View profile
Odujinrin & Adefulu
17 practice areas
View profile
Streamsowers & Köhn
14 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 4

Alliance Law Firm
15 practice areas
View full profile
Jackson Etti & Edu
17 practice areas
View full profile
Solola & Akpana
11 practice areas
View profile

Tier 5

ALP NG & Co
5 practice areas
View full profile
Advocaat Law Practice
14 practice areas
View full profile
Anaje Olumide Oke Akinkugbe (AO2 Law)
6 practice areas
View profile
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
9 practice areas
View full profile
Ikeyi Shittu & Co
16 practice areas
View full profile
OAKE Legal
9 practice areas
View profile
Pavestones
6 practice areas
View full profile
T&A Legal
1 practice area
View full profile
The New Practice
2 practice areas
View profile

Notable

CLG
1 practice area
View profile
ENR Advisory
9 practice areas
View profile
Greychapel Legal
13 practice areas
View full profile
The Law Crest
9 practice areas
View profile
Linked Reviews
Financial and corporate

One of the biggest firms in Nigeria, full-service outfit AELEX was founded near the turn of the millennium by a four-way merger. It has offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja in Nigeria, as well as an office in Accra Ghana. 

 

Focusses / specialisms

The firm advises on financing and is competent in the capital markets space with experience in IPOs, Eurobonds, derivatives and rights issues. It also acts as counsel on large infrastructure projects in Nigeria. A regular stream of its mandates come from foreign clients looking to invest directly into Nigeria.

A core practice for the firm is energy and infrastructure where the firm acts as counsel to major players in the oil and gas sector. The firm is prominent on the corporate side of oil and gas work and often works on farm-ins, farm-outs and M&A involving the industry.  

 

Key clients

The firm has developed strong relationships within the banking practice with FBNQuest Merchant Bank, Export-Import Bank of the United States, African Export-import Bank, EMTS, Keystone Bank, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Securities Solutions, Emerging Markets Payment West Africa, PayU Payments Nigeria, Sentinel Exploration & Production, Vitol, African Development Bank, Cedar Consortium, Ecobank Nigeria, FBN Capital, and Dangote Cement. 

In capital markets the firm has connections with Food Concepts, Stanbic IBTC, Securities Solutions, Coca-Cola, 7UP Bottling Company, and Securities Exchange Commission. 

In M&A the firm has ties to Google, Helios Investment Partners, Petrobras, Nampack Nigeria, SAP Africa, KLM Line Maintenance International, Lufthansa, Shoprite Holdings, Chevron Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Azura Power West Africa, The Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria, CNOOC E&P, and Beacon Power Services Nigeria.

In project development the firm has relationships with All Grace Energy Nigeria, ADDAX Petroleum, Benue Minerals, Shelf Drilling, Nagarjuna Fertilizer and Chemicals Nigeria, Blue Power Energy, Modandola Group, SDP Services, and Rusal Aluminium Smelting Company of Nigeria. 

In project finance the firm has developed bonds with Global Telecommunications Company, Africa Finance Corporation, PetroMetrics, Gigagas, Honeywell Group, SacOil Nigeria, SDP Services, APR Energy, and Van Oord Dredging & Marine Contractors.

Research period review: 34th edition (2024/2025) 

The firm was active in banking, capital markets debt, capital markets equity and M&A.

In banking, the firm advised on acquisitions, project financing, refinancing and loans for clients for borrowers and lenders in the oil and gas, infrastructure, banking and energy sectors. 

In capital markets, the firm advised clients on the establishment of bond programmes and issuance of notes and bonds for clients in the financial services and consumer sectors. 

In M&A, the firm focused on corporate reorganisations, acqusiitions and divestments for clients in the oil and gas, energy and consumer sectors. 

 

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2024/2025)

Air Liquide Afrique S.A.S divestment in Air Liquide Nigeria

 

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2024/2025)

 

Restructuring 

"Aelex's team (mainly represented by Chinyerugo Ugoji - Partner) have shown great dedication and efforts and high standard advisory during incorporation, especially in pharmaceuticals field. Their dedication, prompt response and advisory were exceptional and their ability to find solutions to legal obstacles is well noted."
 
"High standard solutions with quick intervention and efficiency is their key."
 
Chinyerugo Ugoji 
 
"Very high skills of corporate knowledge and advanced solutions whether in relation to incorporation or corporate governance as well. His availability around the clock and immediate responses are exceptionally saving."
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M&A
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