Gbenga Oyebode
- Of Counsel
- Corporate Commercial
- Lagos, Nigeria
About
Gbenga is the Of Counsel, Aluko & Oyebode (“the Firm”), one of the largest integrated law firms in Nigeria with over 80 lawyers and three offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The Firm provides a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to a highly diversified clientele including top-tier Nigerian, international and multinational clients. In his capacity as the Of-Counsel, he provides an advisory role to the Firm’s management and on specific transactions. He has over 35 years of experience in legal practices with expertise in the following practice areas:
- Energy and natural resources
- Power projects
- Foreign investment and privatisation
- Telecommunications
- Project finance
- Aviation
Gbenga has been described by IFLR 1000 (The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms) as one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers and by Chambers Global as a “consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise”, whilst The Legal 500 referred to Gbenga Oyebode as a charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
According to Chambers Global, Gbenga Oyebode is “a specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.” Chambers Global ranked him in Banking and Finance, Corporate and Commercial, and Project & Energy 2022 and 2021 editions as a Senior Statespeople and described him as “He is very well respected and influential.”
Gbenga is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) (FCIArb) and the Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI). He was actively involved as a Council Member of the IBA’s Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL).
He was Chairman of the Section of Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-SBL) 2012 – 2014. As Chairman of NBA-SBL, he was instrumental in reviving the activities of the NBA-SBL after a two-year lull and re-established the SBL to become the foremost Section of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Gbenga was conferred with one of Nigeria’s highest honours, the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) in the year 2000. He was also conferred with the Belgian Royal Honour of ‘Knight of the Order of Leopold’ in 2007.
He is the Chairman of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Chairman of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc and a member of the Boards of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc (all of which are listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange), DHL Aviation Nigeria Limited and Socfinaf S.A (listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange). He is the Chairman of CFAO Nigeria. He is also the Chairman of Teach for Nigeria and the Vice Chairman Teach for All, New York. He is a Director of Jazz at the Lincoln Centre, New York, and the African Philanthropy Forum. He serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Hall, Ford Foundation, and The African Center, New York.
Gbenga was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc from 2005 – 2015 and served on the Board of Directors of MTN Nigeria Limited (the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria) 2001-2019; and was the President of the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce from 2007 – 2015.
He sits on the Global Advisory Council of the African Leadership Academy Johannesburg and also on the Africa Advisory Committee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. He is also a member of the INSEAD Directors Program Corporate Governance Network (IDPN) and a member of the Academy of the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
He supports various charitable causes and specifically has granted scholarships and supports various Educational Institutions including the Faculty of Law, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, the African Leadership Academy (ALA) Johannesburg, SA, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA and the Children’s Development Centre, Lagos.
Gbenga is married to Aisha Oyebode (Nee Murtala Muhammed) and they have three children.
Experience
Gbenga is Of Counsel of Aluko & Oyebode (“the Firm”), one of the largest integrated law firms in Nigeria with over 80 lawyers and three offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The Firm provides a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to a highly diversified clientele including top-tier Nigerian, international and multinational clients. In his capacity as the Of-Counsel, he provides an advisory role to the Firm’s management and on specific transactions. He has over 35 years of experience in legal practices with expertise in the following practice areas:
- Energy and natural resources
- Power projects
- Foreign investment and privatisation
- Telecommunications
- Project finance
- Aviation
Education & Qualifications
2017 Doctor of Laws, Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, [Ll.D Honoris Causa]
2016 Doctor of Laws, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti [LL.D Honoris Causa]
2014 Certificate Iin Corporate Governance, INSEAD Fontainebleau, France
2007 Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA
1983 Admitted To The New York Bar
1982 University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia [LL.M]
1980 Called To The Nigerian Bar
1979 University Of Ife, Ile-Ife [LL.B Hons]
Professional Membership & Affiliations
- New York State, 1983
- Nigerian Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- International Bar Association
- Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD)
Awards & Recognition
- Gbenga has been described by IFLR 1000 as highly regarded lawyer and one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers.
- Chambers Global referred to Gbenga as a “Consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise.
- The Legal 500 referred to him as a charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
- “A specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.” — Chambers Global
- A combination of being a good lawyer and being very commercial”. — Chambers Global 2018
- Gbenga has consistently been ranked Band 1 in Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Energy and Natural Resource”. — Chambers Global 2017 through to 2019.
Top Matters
- Advised on the Brass LNG Project, a joint venture between NNPC, TOTAL, Conoco Philips and Agip for the construction of a US$3.5 billion LNG plant.
- Advised on the US$1.275 billion financing of the Exxon Mobil Natural Gas Liquid II Project.
- Advised on the US$1.06 billion financing of trains four and five of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Plant Expansion Project.
- Advised on the Implementation of the first private Independent Power Production (“IPP”) Project in Nigeria by a major international electricity corporation.
- Advised on the US$3.5 Billion Financing of the NNPC and Mobil Producing Unlimited Satellite Oil Field Project.
- Provided legal advisory support to an oil and gas company in connection with allegations made by a whistle-blower in respect of unethical practices by some staff members with respect to the company’s production data. Other areas of legal advisory support to the client include (i) a holistic review of existing corporate governance framework; (ii) employment related matters, reporting lines, allegations of threats, fiscal incentives by senior managers and the steps to be taken in respect of erring employees; (iii) identifying compliance gaps in respect of sector regulations; and (iv) providing recommendations in terms of corporate governance practices and mitigants for identified regulatory infractions.
Community Service/Pro Bono
- Supports various educational institutions including:
- Faculty of Law, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
- Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
- African Leadership Academy, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Philips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, USA
- University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA
- The Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), Nigeria
Speeches
- Guest Lecturer, ALU School of Business, Kigali, Rwanda
- Guest Lecturer, Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, Accra, Ghana
Gbenga Oyebode
- Of Counsel
- Corporate Commercial
- Lagos, Nigeria
About
Gbenga is the Of Counsel, Aluko & Oyebode (“the Firm”), one of the largest integrated law firms in Nigeria with over 80 lawyers and three offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The Firm provides a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to a highly diversified clientele including top-tier Nigerian, international and multinational clients. In his capacity as the Of-Counsel, he provides an advisory role to the Firm’s management and on specific transactions. He has over 35 years of experience in legal practices with expertise in the following practice areas:
- Energy and natural resources
- Power projects
- Foreign investment and privatisation
- Telecommunications
- Project finance
- Aviation
Gbenga has been described by IFLR 1000 (The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms) as one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers and by Chambers Global as a “consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise”, whilst The Legal 500 referred to Gbenga Oyebode as a charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
According to Chambers Global, Gbenga Oyebode is “a specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.” Chambers Global ranked him in Banking and Finance, Corporate and Commercial, and Project & Energy 2022 and 2021 editions as a Senior Statespeople and described him as “He is very well respected and influential.”
Gbenga is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) (FCIArb) and the Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI). He was actively involved as a Council Member of the IBA’s Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law (SEERIL).
He was Chairman of the Section of Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-SBL) 2012 – 2014. As Chairman of NBA-SBL, he was instrumental in reviving the activities of the NBA-SBL after a two-year lull and re-established the SBL to become the foremost Section of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Gbenga was conferred with one of Nigeria’s highest honours, the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) in the year 2000. He was also conferred with the Belgian Royal Honour of ‘Knight of the Order of Leopold’ in 2007.
He is the Chairman of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Chairman of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc and a member of the Boards of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc (all of which are listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange), DHL Aviation Nigeria Limited and Socfinaf S.A (listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange). He is the Chairman of CFAO Nigeria. He is also the Chairman of Teach for Nigeria and the Vice Chairman Teach for All, New York. He is a Director of Jazz at the Lincoln Centre, New York, and the African Philanthropy Forum. He serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Hall, Ford Foundation, and The African Center, New York.
Gbenga was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc from 2005 – 2015 and served on the Board of Directors of MTN Nigeria Limited (the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria) 2001-2019; and was the President of the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce from 2007 – 2015.
He sits on the Global Advisory Council of the African Leadership Academy Johannesburg and also on the Africa Advisory Committee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. He is also a member of the INSEAD Directors Program Corporate Governance Network (IDPN) and a member of the Academy of the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
He supports various charitable causes and specifically has granted scholarships and supports various Educational Institutions including the Faculty of Law, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, the African Leadership Academy (ALA) Johannesburg, SA, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA and the Children’s Development Centre, Lagos.
Gbenga is married to Aisha Oyebode (Nee Murtala Muhammed) and they have three children.
Experience
Gbenga is Of Counsel of Aluko & Oyebode (“the Firm”), one of the largest integrated law firms in Nigeria with over 80 lawyers and three offices in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The Firm provides a comprehensive range of specialist legal services to a highly diversified clientele including top-tier Nigerian, international and multinational clients. In his capacity as the Of-Counsel, he provides an advisory role to the Firm’s management and on specific transactions. He has over 35 years of experience in legal practices with expertise in the following practice areas:
- Energy and natural resources
- Power projects
- Foreign investment and privatisation
- Telecommunications
- Project finance
- Aviation
Education & Qualifications
2017 Doctor of Laws, Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, [Ll.D Honoris Causa]
2016 Doctor of Laws, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti [LL.D Honoris Causa]
2014 Certificate Iin Corporate Governance, INSEAD Fontainebleau, France
2007 Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA
1983 Admitted To The New York Bar
1982 University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia [LL.M]
1980 Called To The Nigerian Bar
1979 University Of Ife, Ile-Ife [LL.B Hons]
Professional Membership & Affiliations
- New York State, 1983
- Nigerian Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- International Bar Association
- Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD)
Awards & Recognition
- Gbenga has been described by IFLR 1000 as highly regarded lawyer and one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers.
- Chambers Global referred to Gbenga as a “Consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise.
- The Legal 500 referred to him as a charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
- “A specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.” — Chambers Global
- A combination of being a good lawyer and being very commercial”. — Chambers Global 2018
- Gbenga has consistently been ranked Band 1 in Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Energy and Natural Resource”. — Chambers Global 2017 through to 2019.
Top Matters
- Advised on the Brass LNG Project, a joint venture between NNPC, TOTAL, Conoco Philips and Agip for the construction of a US$3.5 billion LNG plant.
- Advised on the US$1.275 billion financing of the Exxon Mobil Natural Gas Liquid II Project.
- Advised on the US$1.06 billion financing of trains four and five of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Plant Expansion Project.
- Advised on the Implementation of the first private Independent Power Production (“IPP”) Project in Nigeria by a major international electricity corporation.
- Advised on the US$3.5 Billion Financing of the NNPC and Mobil Producing Unlimited Satellite Oil Field Project.
- Provided legal advisory support to an oil and gas company in connection with allegations made by a whistle-blower in respect of unethical practices by some staff members with respect to the company’s production data. Other areas of legal advisory support to the client include (i) a holistic review of existing corporate governance framework; (ii) employment related matters, reporting lines, allegations of threats, fiscal incentives by senior managers and the steps to be taken in respect of erring employees; (iii) identifying compliance gaps in respect of sector regulations; and (iv) providing recommendations in terms of corporate governance practices and mitigants for identified regulatory infractions.
Community Service/Pro Bono
- Supports various educational institutions including:
- Faculty of Law, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
- Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
- African Leadership Academy, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Philips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, USA
- University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA
- The Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), Nigeria
Speeches
- Guest Lecturer, ALU School of Business, Kigali, Rwanda
- Guest Lecturer, Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, Accra, Ghana
Gbenga has received numerous awards over the years
Highly regarded lawyer and one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers.
Consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise.
Charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
A specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.
A combination of being a good lawyer and being very commercial.
Band 1 in Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Energy and Natural Resource.
Highly regarded lawyer and one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers.
Consummate deal maker who has received plaudits from clients and peers alike for his corporate expertise.
Charming and highly professional practitioner offering the highest level of legal services.
A specialist in corporate commercial work and is particularly knowledgeable with regard to the telecoms market.
A combination of being a good lawyer and being very commercial.
Band 1 in Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Energy and Natural Resource.
Gbenga advises clients across a broad range of practice areas and industry sectors
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