Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie (UUBO), one of the nation’s foremost full-service commercial law firms, hosted its inaugural General Counsel (GC) summit recently in Lagos, bringing together top legal minds, business leaders, and policy experts to address the evolving challenges faced by corporate counsel in an increasingly complex and fast-changing global environment.
The summit was held in partnership with Lex Mundi, a leading network of independent law firms.
Themed: “Confronting Complexity, Igniting Innovation, Reinventing Resilience,” there were conversations around cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A); AI governance and data protection, to thought-provoking panels on regulatory risk, geopolitical volatility, and the growing strategic role of GC. The event interrogated critical intersections between legal, business, and policy imperatives shaping today’s boardrooms.
In his welcome remarks, Aniekan Ukpanah, Senior Partner at UUBO and current Chair of the Lex Mundi Board of Directors, noted, “as a firm with a deep-rooted presence in Nigeria and strong relationships across Africa and beyond, we believe this summit creates a much-needed space for General Counsel to reflect, recalibrate, and reimagine their strategic roles. Through our alliance with Lex Mundi, we’re privileged to draw on a global pool of expertise to support GCs navigating the new frontiers of legal risk.”
Lex Mundi, Vice President, Global Markets, Eric Staal, and Director of Innovation, Andy McDonnell, delivered critical insights on the changing global legal landscape, especially in the context of AI, cybersecurity, and operational resilience.
Tayo Aduloju, CEO of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), spoke on the topic: ‘Resilience in a Multipolar Era-Strategic Outlook for General Counsel.’
According to Aduloju, Africa is projected to reach a population of 2.5 billion by 2050, positioning it as a global demographic powerhouse and critical driver of labour supply, consumer markets and innovation potential.
He also observed that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) represents the most ambitious trade integration effort since the formation of the European Union (EU).
They were joined by an exceptional roster of speakers from Lex Mundi member firms including Bowmans, Faegre Drinker, Bentsi-Enchill, and Bennani & Associés.
The key sessions include: A Cross-Border M&A Panel addressing real-world dealmaking challenges across Africa; tech Risk Roundtable focused on AI, data protection, and breach response, moderated by UUBO Managing Partner Jumoke Lambo.
A CEO Fireside Chat titled “The GC Every CEO Wants”, featuring Seun Oni (AG Leventis) and Femi Badeji (FCMB Group), moderated by Folake Elias-Adebowale, Partner at UUBO
The summit reflects UUBO’s longstanding commitment to empowering legal and business leaders through thought leadership and forward-looking engagement.
It also reinforces the firm’s position as a gateway to African legal expertise, bolstered by its active participation in Lex Mundi’s elite global network, comprising more than 150 member firms and over 22,000 lawyers worldwide.
With deep capabilities spanning fintech, capital markets, M&A, dispute resolution, energy, tech, and public policy, UUBO continues to advise leading local and international businesses through Nigeria’s dynamic business terrain, offering world-class solutions tailored to local realities.
