Compliance should be seen as growth enabler, not burden – Adeola Idowu

For Adeola Idowu, stepping into the role of co-managing partner at Aluko & Oyebode is not just a personal milestone but a defining moment in the firm’s evolution. With three decades of experience spanning telecoms, energy, corporate law, and boardroom leadership, Adeola brings a rare 360-degree perspective to one of Nigeria’s foremost law firms.

In an interview with Josephine Okojie-Okeiyi, she shares how Aluko & Oyebode’s seamless leadership transition reflects a deliberate succession plan and governance strategy, her vision for leveraging sectoral expertise and client trust to sustain market leadership, and how the firm is positioning itself at the forefront of legal innovation, pan-African integration, and long-term sustainability.

This transition marks a major moment for the firm. What does it represent internally, and how do you see it playing out in the market?

Our leadership transition at Aluko & Oyebode is a natural progression of our succession plan and governance strategies.

Internally, it demonstrates our commitment to developing our lawyers as legal subject matter experts, providing a depth of sector and service expertise to clients that our competitors cannot match and developing our partners into impactful leaders.

This also demonstrates the versatility of career opportunities for our senior partners to ensure continuity as the firm cements its position as a consistent market leader.

We are honored to be a foremost law firm in Nigeria and privileged to have earned the respect of peers and deep trust of our clients and stakeholders. Our seamless leadership baton changes secure the firm’s long-term sustainability.

Three decades in law have taken you across sectors from telecoms to energy, business and private clients. Which experiences do you expect to draw on most in this new role?

I expect that all my sectorial experiences will be of use and of significant value in understanding future market demands for legal services.

As a general counsel, I sat on the client’s side of the table and understood the pressures of making tough decisions. As external counsel, I also have a clear understanding that businesses want commercially astute legal solutions, and I have helped clients manage risk and unlock opportunity.

However, perhaps more than technical knowledge, it is the relationships built over the years with clients, colleagues, regulators, and partners across industries that I expect to draw on most. Those connections, rooted in trust, will be invaluable in leading the firm.

Aluko & Oyebode has been behind some of Nigeria’s most defining corporate transactions. Where do you see the next wave of opportunity?

Yes, indeed we have. We pride ourselves on delivering ‘first of a kind’ services and being at the forefront of business and legal innovations. After the economic headwinds of the last two years, the Naira attained some stability in 2025.

The overall impact of the government’s monetary and fiscal policies is still unfolding before investors will fully explore potential opportunities. Nigeria is a resilient nation, and we are therefore hopeful and expectant.

Our firm is clear that all sectors will be powered or facilitated by technology in this age that is defined by rapid technological advancement and global interconnectedness, therefore local and international investments in technology and communication are likely to continue.

We expect that the Nigerian energy sector will continue to evolve, with increasing focus on gas and renewables as we transition and present new opportunities.

I also think, having noted the infrastructure deficit in a nation of an estimated 250 million citizens and looking at some of the policies of government, that infrastructure development is an imperative and is required to catch up with and support continued growth, therefore government spending will continue in this area and spin off private sector opportunities.

On the back of this, food security is another area of keen focus for government that brings large scale agriculture to the forefront, and next, the mining sector is also seeing efforts to organize and introduce effective reforms that should lead to structured exploration and harnessing of Nigeria’s significant solid mineral resources.

Finally, Financial services, strengthened by banks’ recapitalisation, will be key in channeling funding into these areas. Our role as a firm is to stand beside clients as they navigate these opportunities, helping them turn vision into reality, even in complex times.

ESG, data privacy, and regulatory compliance are areas where demand is growing fast. How is the firm positioning itself to stay ahead?

This is an area I am particularly passionate about and I work alongside several highly skilled colleagues who support clients in those spaces where regulations are fast evolving, and regulators are exercising increasing powers that significantly impact businesses.

In data protection compliance, we are not only a licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation conducting audits, providing advisory services, and training, but we also represent several clients as counsel in the Nigerian Data Protection Commission’s inquires and investigations.

We are adept at guiding clients through every aspect of regulatory and compliance procedures. Starting with onboarding new businesses through our Business Advisory unit and also working through our governance, risk and compliance unit, we understand that regulatory prescriptions can be at the heart of a company’s business from its license to operate, to avoiding fines and penalties, maintaining a positive market perception and good reputation.

ESG is important to us. Not only do we advocate and celebrate diversity, but we set a high standard in our commitment to environmental impact and good governance. We apply and advocate the same standard in our work with clients.

We understand that proactive regulatory and ethical compliance are important measures for businesses to be sustainable in the long term and that these form part of a company’s ESG strategy, which is how it measures itself and records its performance under each of the ESG pillars.

We believe compliance is not a burden but an enabler of long-term sustainability. Our role is to help clients anticipate change, adapt quickly, and position themselves as leaders in their industries.

We also recognize the rising importance of ESG to companies particularly in fund raising or in accessing certain types of funding or markets and we advise and support businesses to prepare and position themselves to meet these requirements.

Being part of ALN opens up reach across 15 African jurisdictions. What does that mean in practical terms for clients and your growth agenda?

Being part of the ALN Network means that we are able to easily provide coordinated support for clients across sub-Saharan Africa’s key jurisdictions.

We have clients that have subsidiaries across the continent, and we are able to lead and coordinate lawyers that provide legal support to them in countries where they operate or wish to. We take a large burden off the hands of the in-house counsel to find, screen and appoint external counsel in new territories that they are not familiar with.

Our ALN membership has also been a significant avenue to develop the skills of and bring greater exposure to our lawyers through ALN Network events, trainings and secondment programs.

The cross pollination has been enriching and we leverage our shared resources to bring improvements and operational efficiencies to our firm and those of other ALN member firms.

Our membership of the ALN Network is a strategic positioning rooted in our belief that in Africa, there is a gradual economic revolution where Nigerian businesses in particular will increasingly seek out business opportunities with its neighbours on the continent.

Looking back on your career so far, what guiding principles will you bring into this chapter of leadership?

My guiding principles are consistent with those of the Firm so it’s incredible to have that alignment from the start. We work hard and work smart with integrity, we value people and relationships forged along the way, we bring sector depth and legal expertise to our clients and stakeholders. We keep learning, evolving, and solving difficult problems. My approach is to lead by serving.

What does success look like for this leadership transition a year from now?

Success will be continued growth in the firm in all areas – service delivery, client satisfaction and their growth, lawyer development, revenue growth, achievement of strategic imperatives – all building on the incredible work done by the previous leadership.

In what ways do you see the firm shaping conversations around Nigeria’s role in Africa’s economic integration, particularly under the AfCFTA framework?

AfCFTA presents a historic opportunity for African businesses, and Nigeria must be at the heart of it. Our role is twofold: first, to advise clients who are expanding across borders on the legal and regulatory complexities they will face; and second, to contribute thought leadership on how the framework can work best for Nigeria and for Africa as a whole.

Through our work and utilizing our ALN partnerships, we aim to ensure that Nigerian businesses can take full advantage of the opportunities AfCFTA creates.

Many foreign investors see Nigeria as both high-opportunity and high-complexity. How does the firm help clients navigate these complexities while unlocking value?

Nigeria keeps working on its ‘ease of doing business’ reputation and reality and while this evolves, our Firm has always helped investors find their fee and unlock value. We see opportunities in every situation, and work with clients who are willing to take risks to realise their ambitions.

We help them to articulate the compendium of requirements and support them to comply with said requirements until they can set up in country or do business here.

As I had said, we solve difficult problems and help clients address challenges that they encounter. We are a full-service law firm with a deep bench of highly skilled partners across all sectors delivering corporate and commercial legal services, and dispute resolution services including producing six senior advocates of Nigeria.

For us, complexity is not a deterrent; it is where our value as advisers truly shows.

Finally, what role do you see your firm playing in strengthening Nigeria’s reputation as a safe and attractive destination for business?

We are strong believers in Nigeria’s potential. Clients have placed great trust in us to help them make a safe entry into the country and to help them navigate the evolving legal terrain.

To remain in good standing over the decades, we have continued to effectively keep them abreast of legal and regulatory developments, guiding them through change, and providing solutions that enable them to succeed.