Nigeria’s A-list law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo, clocked 33 on February 1, 2024. As part of charting new ways of delivering legal and business solutions in a more efficient, timely, and cost-effective manner, and in the spirit of commemorating its 33rd anniversary, the firm has expanded its physical presence in Nigeria by officially opening another regional office in the city of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, on April 23, 2024.
From a modest beginning as a 2-man practice in 1991, the firm has traversed an incredible journey, growing into a 15-man partnership and full-service law firm of about 100 lawyers, delivering excellent services to a wide and diverse spectrum of clients across Nigeria, Africa, and the world over.
Over the years, the firm has built a culture of excellence in providing its clients with innovative legal and business solutions to complex issues, most of which are bespoke, best-in-class, and first-of-a-kind.
Much has changed in the Nigerian economy and business environment since February 1991, when the firm first opened its doors to the public. Premised on the founding partners’ vision to build a lasting institution that will transcend generations of partners, associates and other stakeholders, the firm has constantly positioned itself alongside the country’s economic transitions and development aspirations by investing in its people, and state of the art facilities in its Lagos and Abuja offices.
These strategies have helped maintain a resourceful and highly motivated team with sought-after expertise and competencies across all areas of practice and sectors of the economy, creating a future-focused firm and a great place to work, and ensuring always that clients’ satisfaction and happiness are guaranteed within the bounds of the law.
The firm played a key role in the consolidation of the Nigerian banking industry in the early 2000s by advising on the largest number of the M&A transactions that took place then. It has also advised on many greenfield and brownfield projects for governments, multinationals, and foreign and domestic investors in many sectors including oil & gas, power, transportation, and telecommunications. The firm constantly advises on a wide range of transactions and is consistently ranked as a leading Nigerian law firm in the areas of Capital Markets, Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance & Restructuring, Project Finance, Foreign Investment & Divestment, Shipping, Aviation & International Trade, Energy & Natural Resources, Intellectual Property, and Commercial Dispute Resolution.
As a firm that is constantly positioned at the forefront of economic policy evolutions, and stays ahead of the curve of regulatory development, Banwo & Ighodalo has taken the lead in several growing areas of practice such as fintech, tax, entertainment, blockchain, competition/antitrust, consumer protection, data protection & privacy, and policy & legislative advocacy among others.
The firm emerged the “Nigeria Tax Firm of the Year 2023” at the International Tax Review (ITR) Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Tax Awards 2023, making it the first Nigerian law firm to ever win this on the ITR EMEA Tax Awards platform. It also won the “Nigeria Law Firm of the Year 2022” at the Chambers Africa Awards 2022, among several other reputable domestic and international recognitions.
The choice of the new office location reflects the firm’s expansion strategy of developing regional partnerships, acquiring new clients, and increasing brand visibility.
Popularly known as the Garden City, Port-Harcourt remains a major industrial hub and an important commercial centre in the country. The city’s political history, economic significance, geographic location, and its position as the petroleum industry hub, continue to make it an attractive destination to multinationals, investors, oil, gas & petrochemical companies, FMCGs, manufacturing concerns, players in the entertainment industry, and entities in the technology space.
After 33 years of resilience, trust, grit, and growth, it is expected that the new Port-Harcourt Office will bring the firm physically closer to its numerous clients in the region and the increasing number of entities that require its professional services in Rivers State, the neighboring cities in the Niger-Delta, the South-South geo-political zone, and some parts of the South-East region of Nigeria.
With the latest expansion, Banwo & Ighodalo appears poised for a better, smarter, extensive, and mutually beneficial relationships with its numerous clients and prospects in Nigeria, and others around the globe given the potential of the Garden City for attracting foreign direct investment.
