Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya Partner, Head, Sports, Entertainment and Technology (SET) Practice — Olisa Agbakoba Legal
Beverley Agbakoba-Onyejianya is a Partner and Head of the Sports, Entertainment and Technology (SET) Practice. She is a highly accomplished legal, regulatory, and compliance professional with over two decades of experience across Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She began her career in financial services regulation and compliance in the UK and has since built a distinguished practice spanning corporate and commercial law, governance, and policy advisory.
Her expertise cuts across Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Entertainment Law, Employment Law, International Trade Law, Intellectual Property, and Start-Up and Technology law. She is also a Notary Public of Nigeria and a world-wide recognised leader at the intersection of law, business strategy, sports, and the creative industries.
Beverley’s practice combines deep legal expertise with strategic advisory capabilities across corporate and commercial law, regulatory compliance and governance frameworks, policy development and institutional reform, international and cross-border advisory and the sports, entertainment, and creative industries. She has led and contributed to high-level national and sectoral policy initiatives, including sports, creative economy, and intellectual property regulation.
In addition to her advisory work, she is a respected thought leader, having authored numerous publications on corporate governance, entertainment law, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and sports law.
Beverley is also a highly sought-after trainer and facilitator, having delivered hundreds of training sessions for corporates, institutions, and organisations on governance, compliance, and project management.
Dispute Resolution Experience
Beverley is a certified mediator and arbitrator with extensive experience in both domestic and international dispute resolution. She is particularly recognised for her expertise in sports dispute resolution. She holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian female admitted to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as a mediator and is listed on several leading panels.
Panel Appointments
Domestic Panels
- Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse
- Lagos Court of Arbitration
- NDIC Panel
- NCC Dispute Resolution Centre
- Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb)
International Panels
- Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
- FIFA Mediation Panel
- Sports Resolutions International Panel (since 2022)
- World Athletics Safeguarding Case Management Group (2024–2027)
- AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (HKRAC) Sports Panel
- Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), Malaysia
- Mediation MENA Panel, UAE
- Ebrams Online Dispute Resolution Panel, Hong Kong
Notable Works
- Development of the updated National Sports Policy for Nigeria
- Development of a Special Sports Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Southeast Nigeria
- Development of a National Policy for the Creative Sector in Nigeria
- Drafting of a Geographical Indications Bill for Nigeria
- Development of a Regulatory and Compliance Programme for the Confederation of African Football (CAF)
Initiatives
Beverley is the Founder and Academic Director of the Business of Sports Institute Africa (BOS Africa) and the Founder of Lagos Tigers Football Club, a grassroots youth football academy. She is a globally recognised speaker and actively mentors young professionals (ages 20–40), focusing on personal and professional development. She regularly shares insights through her personal development newsletter, Develop Your A-Game.
- Corporate & Commercial Law
- Regulatory Compliance
- Corporate Governance
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Intellectual Property
- Employment Law
- International Trade Law
- Sports & Entertainment Law
- Technology & Start-Up Advisory
Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Former Chairperson, Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (SBL) – Sports, Entertainment and Technology Committee.
Member, Women In Sports Law (WISL), Switzerland
Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK, Nigeria Branch
Member, Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments
Member, Lagos Court of Arbitration
Member, Lagos MultiDoor Court
Member, Attorney-Mediators Association of Nigeria
Leadership, Appointments & Professional Contributions
Mediator, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
Member, FIFA Mediation Panel
Panel Member, Sports Resolutions International
Panel Member, World Athletics Safeguarding Case Management Group
Panel Member, AALCO HKRAC (Sports Panel)
Panel Member, AIAC Malaysia
Panel Member, Mediation MENA, UAE
Panel Member, Ebrams ODR, Hong Kong
University of Wales, Cardiff (UK) – LLM Commercial Law
University of Nottingham (UK) – LLB -Law with European Law
Inns of Court School of Law , Bar Vocational Course
Nigerian Law School, Lagos – BL
Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse – Mediation Skill Training
Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (UK) – Investment Compliance Diploma
- Executive Presence Lawyer Award (Female Category), Business of Law Awards (2024)
- Recognised Leader, World Intellectual Property Review (2024)
- Recommended Global Leader in Sports Law, Who’s Who Legal (2024)