Afam Ikeakanam, a Nigerian-qualified lawyer, has contributed significantly to reshaping the business and corporate landscape in Nigeria.
With significant experience advising on mergers, acquisitions, private equity investments, strategic joint venture arrangements, divestments, corporate restructuring, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and sundry corporate advisory services, he provides services to multinational companies and entrepreneurs.
He is passionate about championing policy reforms and innovation in Nigeria. He was instrumental in drafting ministerial regulations for the promotion of indigenous participation and the development of local content in the entire value chain of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He also worked with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, through the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law, in reviewing business, investment and job creating laws in Nigeria.
The recommendations from this assignment were instrumental in the enactment of Nigeria’s primary business legislation, the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 and the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2023. These laws have changed the Nigerian business climate by eliminating critical bottlenecks and promoting the ease of doing business in Nigeria, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, thereby fostering an enabling business environment and stimulating economic growth in Nigeria.
He focuses on complex domestic and cross-border matters, and his experience spans several industry sectors, including energy & natural resources, financial services, technology, insurance, and consumer and manufactured goods.
Afam was an associate in the Business Advisory Practice at ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode, the largest full-service commercial law firm in Nigeria. In his practice, he has represented clients in high-value corporate transactions. For instance, he advised a prominent global leader in digital payments on its equity investment of US$200 million in a Nigerian unicorn company that is driving the digitisation of payments across Africa. This landmark investment has been instrumental in advancing Africa’s digital payments ecosystem.
He was also part of the team that advised an indigenous Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company in connection with the US$45 million term loan facility provided by a leading Nigerian commercial bank for the drilling and completion of oil wells and associated infrastructure in a marginal field located in Nigeria. He has also worked with the American multinational consumer and manufactured goods company, Colgate-Palmolive Company.
