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Firm Overview

History

Giwa-Osagie & Company was established in 1986 and has been a member of Lex Africa since 2001.

The firm is a member of the following organisations:
• International Bar Association
• Nigerian Maritime Association
• Nigerian- South African Chamber of Commerce
• Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)
        
Expertise
Giwa-Osagie & Company is a corporate and commercial legal firm specialising in the following practice areas:

General Corporate Law:
• solicitors to issuing houses on the public issue of shares
• mergers and acquisitions
• takeovers
• investment portfolios
• legal opinions on corporate issues
• advice on changes in corporate laws
Privatisation and Commercialisation:
• consultants to state governments, local and international companies on privatisation processes
• foreign investments in Nigeria
• acquisition of shares
Banking and Finance:
• bank transactions
• bank security documentation
• bridge loan agreements
• legal mortgages
• debenture trust deeds
• all asset debenture and leases
• off-shore loans and collaterals
• safe-custody agreements
• loan syndicate transactions
• compliance with banking and regulatory legislations
Commercial Law (litigation & arbitration):
• contract claims settlements
• unlawful termination claims
• aviation claims
• debt recoveries
• corporate structuring and restructurings within the Stock Exchange regulations
Labour and Employment:
• compliance with  labour laws
• contracts of employment
• labour and trade union matters
• health and safety regulations in the workplace
• workmen compensation
• advisory services
• benefit plan design
Foreign Investment
• compliance with investment laws
• advisory services
• foreign exchange laws
• immigration laws
• tax laws
• legal guidance to  new foreign investors
• negotiation of joint venture agreements
Telecommunications
• advisory and regulatory assignments
• legal frameworks for investment  and operations in this sector
• compliance with relevant laws and regulations
• financing agreements
• joint venture contracts
• memoranda of understanding
• interconnectivity agreements
• tax efficient contractual agreements
• mergers and acquisitions
• negotiations 
Energy and Natural Resources
• production sharing contracts
• joint venture contracts
• mining
• legal frameworks for exploration and exploitation of mineral resources
• regulations
• developments
• acquisitions
• disposals
• privatisation
• restructuring of gas and utility projects
• gas supply contracts
• establishment of oil companies and refineries, and the procedures to follow
• legal compliance (transportation of petroleum products and compensation for oil spillages)
• contracts for power purchases, concession and implementation
• legal frameworks for the development, supply and distribution of electricity
• power plant contracts
Asset Finance and Projects
• advisory services
• project structuring  (domestic and international transactions)
• financing and negotiations
• project documentation
• asset based financing transactions involving storage terminals, aircrafts, ships and real estate, cement plants, power plants
• complex financing transactions
• construction contracts
• bridge loan arrangement
• power projects
• road projects
Aviation
• legal advisory services to major airlines (domestic and international)
• debt recovery
• cargo and baggage claims
• claims arising from aviation accidents (including death) and loss of goods
• insurance disputes
• aviation regulations
• aircraft financing and leasing
Intellectual Property
• patents and trademarks registration
• enforcement and protection of  rights
• legal counsel on Patents, Designs and Copyright
• intellectual property agreements
Property and Real Estate
• advisory services
• disposals and acquisitions of property
• investment
• land dispute settlements 
• preparation of legal documentation
• lease agreements 
Mining
• legal advisory services on exploration and exploitation of mineral resources
• mining leases
• structuring of mining companies
• mining investment
• project advisory and transactional structuring  services
• negotiations and preparation of transaction documents

Firm Highlights

Significant marketplace recognition includes: 

Ranking in Chambers Global
Clients value Osayaba Giwa-Osagie’s first rate connections, “he possesses a good standing in Nigeria and can call on an introduction when required which you need in this market.  Plus he makes you feel like you’re in Nigeria even if you are thousands of miles away”…. “Thoughtful, thorough and highly personable attorney who would be an excellent lawyer in any country…” (Chambers Global 2007 Edition).
       
Key clients include:

 * Stanbic Bank Nigeria Limited
 * Standard Bank of South Africa
 * Telkom SA
 * Deutsche Bank
 * Lafarge
 * Shell Petroleum Development Corporation
 * KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
 * Citibank Nigeria Limited
 * West African Portland Cement Plc
 * ExxonMobil
 * Cementia (AG)
 * American National Red Cross
 * International Finance Corporation (I.F.C)
 * First Fuels Petroleum Company Limited
 * Ashakacem
 * Guaranty Trust Bank Plc
 * Citigroup
 * Emirates
 * Varel Europe
 * GPC Oil and Gas Consultants Limited
 * LTT Oil and Gas Nigeria Company Limited

Strategic associations/memberships include:

Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce and Lex Africa.

Contact Information

No. of partners in firm:   3

Key Partners include:

Name:    Osayaba Giwa-Osagie
Title:    Principal Partner
Degree:   LLB Hons Warwick BL. Notary Public
Specialises in: Banking law, civil litigation, corporate law, foreign investment, mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications, arbitration, aviation law and project financing.
Achievements:  He has presented papers at various seminars, amongst which are papers titled "Contract Variation" at a national seminar and another paper titled "Credit Risk,  Securitisation and Loan Guarantees in Nigeria" at a seminar organized by the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations. Mr. Giwa-Osagie is the co-author of “Privatization in Nigeria” published in the International Privatization Review by Euromoney in the 2000/2001 edition. He also presented a paper on libel at the International Bar Association held in Durban in 2001.

Name:    Bosede Giwa-Osagie
Title:    Partner
Degree:  LLB Hons IFE, BL, M.I.L.D (UNILAG)
Specialises in:  Banking law, general corporate practice, asset financing and labour law.  She has also been involved in major contract negotiations.

Name:    Charles Babalola
Title:    Partner
Degree: LLB Hons (Obafemi Awolowo University), Ife, BL, LLM (University of Lagos)
Specialises in:   Charles Babalola has extensive experience in the review and drafting of contracts, governmental systems and regulatory issues on different types of transactions. 
Achievements: He has written several articles such as “Infrastructure development-legal and regulatory framework for public private partnership(PPP) in Nigeria” (unpublished), “Doing business in the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria” (a bird’s eye-view) and “Recent developments in the Telecommunications Sector in Nigeria” (an article published in Traders Magazine, an African Business Journal published in South Africa).