August 11, 2023 - Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL)

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Unlocking Prosperity For Africa

Articles, Corporate & Business Advisory Services, International Trade & InvestmentBy Esther Odunze August 11, 2023 Leave a comment

The African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA) Agreement holds immense promise for the future of Africa. By encouraging intra-African trade and economic cooperation, it has the potential to transform the continent and improve the lives of millions.

Dr. Olisa Agbakoba

Dr. Agbakoba is the Senior Partner and Head of the Arbitration & ADR practice group in Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL). He’s one of Nigeria’s leading experts in arbitration and has presided over several complex cases. He is the brain behind the first law firm-annexed arbitration/mediation center in Lagos (Nigeria), the OAL Arbitration and Mediation Centre. He has showcased his brilliance as counsel and as arbitrator in major national and cross-border disputes relating to aviation (airport terminal concessions); vessel charters; maritime collisions; oil wells and rigs; telecoms; and housing development and construction.

Yvonne Ezekiel

Yvonne is the Managing Partner of OAL, setting the strategic goals and objectives of the firm, managing the operations and driving business growth. She is leading the International Trade Practice group focusing on Trade control matters – sanctions, export controls, trade litigations and helping our clients understand how government enforces, regulates and addresses compliance matters, also advising on the nexus between politics and commerce and the dynamism companies need to consider.

Babatunde Ogungbamila

Babatunde Ogungbamila is a Partner in Olisa Agbakoba Legal and heads the firm’s Dispute Resolution Practice. He is also responsible for the firm’s Labour and employment, banking, Natural Resources and Finance Practice Brief. He is an astute litigator who has honed his skills of persuasive speaking from his frequent interfacing at all the levels of courts in Nigeria. Babatunde is an expert in general litigation and other alternative dispute resolution with specialization in commercial litigation, business recovery and insolvency, banking, Oil and Gas practices, taxation, labour and employment matters.

Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya

Beverley is a Partner and the Head of Sports, Entertainment & Technology (SET) group at OAL. She is a regulatory and compliance professional and a lawyer with over twelve years professional experience in the banking and capital markets sectors in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Her broad experience in the regulatory and compliance industry covers investment banking, brokerage and fund management sectors and has seen her hold various leadership roles in regulatory and compliance sector.

Ify Anazonwu-Akerele

Ifeyinwa Akerele as a Synergy Partner at OAL is an experienced administrator in the public and private sector. She has excellent skills in the management of people. She was the founding / pioneer Director General of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping ( NCS). She is a Life Member Of the Governing Council and a member of the Board of Trustees ( BOT) and presently the Chairman of the Executive Management Committee of the NCS.

Osita Franklin Okoro

Osita is an Associate Partner at OAL. He possesses 20 years cognate experience in legal practice, management, public policy, compliance, project management, regulation, institutional and legal reforms, governance, public sector engagement, business development and organizational development.

Collins Okeke

Collins Okeke is an Associate Partner/Head of Public Sector Practice Group, an aspect of law that examines the role of laws, institutions and legal systems in both domestic and international jurisdictions. He is grounded in legal, regulatory and public policy advisory services. He has served in advisory capacities for both Federal and State Governments, initiated institutional and regulatory reforms as well as led public interest litigation programmes contributing positively to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political environment.

Lilian Uwandi Agbakoba

Lilian is a Synergy Partner with over 4 decades experience as a Corporate Solicitor specializing in Commercial Practice, Business Development, Business Management, Real Estate Letting and Sales, Real Estate Advisory Consultancy, Property Development and Property Facility Management.

Francis Gozie Moneke

Francis is a Synergy Partner at OAL who has successfully prosecuted numerous public interest and human rights as well as diverse civil cases in various superior courts of record in Nigeria. To his credit are over 100 articles published in newspapers and journals diverse legal and public policy issues. He has trained more than 3,000 police officers in Nigeria on human rights, rule of law and conflict management.

Lady Debbie N. Obodoukwu

Lady Debie works as a Synergy Partner at OAL. She has appeared in many cases before State and Federal High Courts, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and Election Tribunals. She’s very proficient in Company law, Litigation, commercial law and recovery of loans and debts, enforcement of fundamental rights, law, mergers and acquisition, conciliation and arbitration and trademarks training.

Chinedu Nneke

Chinedu is a Associate Partner and Core Litigation Lawyer with ardent interest in Public Interest Advocacy, Constitutional and Human Rights Affairs. He has successfully litigated on several landmark human rights and public interest cases. He is passionate about providing legal protection for the voiceless in the society; he exhibited his prowls in the recent educational discrimination case. He also has a knack for legal and legislative drafting.

Nzube Johnpaul Akunne

Akunne Nzube Johnpaul is a Senior Associate at Olisa Agbakoba Legal. He has over ten years experience in Corporate/Commercial Law and has been involved in numerous commercial and corporate litigation.