Our Practice Areas

Corporate Commercial ​Law

We have the most creative and innovative commercial team of lawyers. We recognise that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of doing business, provided that it is within the confines of the law. Hence, we offer bespoke, practical and innovative solutions that will position our clients as leaders of their industries.

Our corporate commercial team advises not just on the legal aspects of businesses but also on business issues such as organisational culture, corporate strategy/governance, strategic human resource management, corporate finance, employment/labour issues among other issues which have legal implications and impact the business.

We are able to advise on, and prepare documentations for mergers, acquisitions, private equity investments, financing, tax planning, capital market transactions, corporate governance, etcetera. We also provide boardroom support through company secretarial services.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Our dispute resolution team has delivered consistent excellence which has led to a high success rate for Clients. We are equally skilled in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms including arbitration, mediation/negotiation, conciliation and early neutral evaluation.

We are also endowed with robust advocacy skills for contentious/litigious cases. We strive to achieve the result that is most effective for the attainment of our clients’ business or personal objectives. This usually requires that we remain alert to react appropriately to developments in litigation just as we remain flexible to seize opportunities as they develop in the course of litigations. 

We also simulate different outcomes for each case and debate fiercely among the team to arrive at the best strategy. This approach has won us over 95 percent of cases litigated.

Intellectual Property

The world is driven by innovations and the value of intellectual property (IP) is rising by the day with inventors seeking more than ever to protect their inventions. We advise on all aspects of IP ranging from protection, registration and maintenance, enforcement, licensing and exploitation of IP issues/rights (patents, trademarks, copyrights etc).

For litigious/contentious IP related matters, our dispute resolution leverages on the depth of knowledge and understanding of our IP team to deliver the most effective outcome possible on any IP related dispute or matter.

Real Estate

We undertake a wide range of real estate transactions. We advise on areas such as purchase and sale of real property, perfection of titles, mortgages, long leases, joint ventures, sale and lease back arrangements, property development agreements, dredging agreements, real estate tax, outsourcing agreements, construction agreements, law of succession for real property, registration of trusts, among others.

Regulatory and Compliance

Our Regulatory and Compliance department keeps an updated checklist of applicable laws and regulations that affect different industries, as well as keepa tab as they get reviewed/revised. We collaborate with the various regulatory agencies to ensure that our contextual regulatory templates/approaches satisfy their specific thresholds. 

We also observe the political-economic trend in different jurisdictions in order to foresee what changes may take place in the regulatory environment. The fundamental aim of our approach is to help our clients navigate and avoid any eventual consequences of non-compliance, but in the unfortunate instance that this becomes unattained, our dispute resolution department are well equipped to prevail and deliver the best outcome for the client.

Energy and Power

We possess local and global industry knowledge of the energy and power sector(s). We advise on different areas of the sector including power generation and distribution; oil and gas; renewable energy, as well as the rising effect/impact of International Human Rights Law on this sector among others.

Our works in this area include structuring and conducting due diligence on different Power Purchase transactions, Gas Offtake Agreements, and related transactions. We represent JV partners and operators to Oil Mining Leases across Nigeria. We also advise on the relevant regulatory and financing requirements in this sector as well as the dispute resolution aspect of the industry sector (Litigation, Negotiations, Arbitration, Mediations and other forms of ADR mechanisms).

Labour and Immigration

We advise on a broad range of employment/ labour and related issues. We  also have remarkable expertise/skills in labour or employment related negotiations. Our knowledge of human resource management helps us to advise our clients in ways that ensure a smooth relationship within their workforce. 

We assist with cross border employment and ensure that the process is seamless and does not increase lead times in your company’s productivity.

Transport

We advise on aviation contracts such as aircraft leases and acquisitions, air accidents, licensing and regulation of airlines, passenger rights and airline liability for losses and breaches during air travels.

We also advise on carriage of goods by sea, arrest and release of vessels, purchase and lease of vessels, cabotage and restrictions applicable thereto, as well as marine commerce. We advise a broad range of clients including ship owners, charterers, insurers, P&I Clubs, among others.

We also advise on railway concessions, purchase and lease of rolling stock, other railway related services and the increasingly viable road transport business sector.

Telecommunication and Information Technology

NICCOM LLP advises on a broad range of issues in the telecommunications industry. We assist with licenses, renewals, sale/purchase of content, registrations, interconnectivity agreements, co-location agreements, master leases, to mention a few.

We also advise on IT start-ups, as well as guide clients on modalities for technology transfers. We have represented and continue to represent some of the most cutting-edge technology companies in West and East Africa.

Taxation

Our tax experts advise on different aspects of taxation for

individuals/organisations and governments. With concerted effort at diversifying the Nigerian economy, improving trade and growing businesses, various tax related incentives have been created for businesses to explore.

We assist our clients in these and other areas to maximise the advantages in line with our full-service, all- embracing approach to legal service delivery.

Our overarching goal in tax advisory is to create cost effective tax systems for clients. Thus, we assist in setting up efficient tax structures for our individual and corporate clients.

Our dispute resolution department are on hand to assist and deliver effective outcome in contentious tax related disputes.

Legal and Integrity Due Diligence

In the past, businesses were liable for the actions of their personnel and agents. However, recent local and international legislations have extended the scope of liability, such that a business can also be held liable for the actions of its business partners, associates, vendors/ suppliers and other relevant persons (collectively, “business associates”), in deserving circumstances. In addition, many business associates have presented a false or misleading picture of their strengths and competencies at the negotiation stage, which falsity may only be realized after parties may have entered legal relations.

As a result, it is imperative for businesses to ascertain the compliance history and antecedents of their business associates, before entering business relationships with such partners – Due Diligence. This should cover every aspect of the business associates’ operations, including existing legal obligations, financial strength, tax liabilities, shareholding, prior regulatory sanctions, composition of the Board and management, prior issues bordering on fraud and misconduct, legal cases, and so on.

NICCOM is very proficient in carrying out a detailed legal due diligence and investigations to ascertain the legal and/or incorporation status of your proposed business associates, their current or futuristic contractual and legal

liabilities, pending and impending disputes and the effects on their business operations, and other aspects of the company’s operations that may have material legal implications for its business.

NICCOM can also undertake an integrity due diligence on such business associates, to discover the antecedents of such business associates and that of their key personnel, as it relates to regulatory compliance. We will undertake background checks to verify information provided by the business associates and their personnel, as well as report adverse information uncovered which may have been hitherto undisclosed. Finally, we advise on strategies for dealing with, and the risk of commencing or continuing relationships with such business associates, based on information provided/gathered.

Finance and Insurance

We deliver best-in-class services to banks, private equities, corporate lenders, pension schemes, unit trusts, corporate borrowers, insurance companies as well as other players in this sector. The relationship as well the credibility we build from these instructions are applied in obtaining the best finance related solutions for our clients. 

We advise on different categories of finance including real estate finance, venture capital, bridge financing, project finance, hedge funds, futures trading, asset finance, Islamic finance, corporate finance, mortgage-backed securities, capital markets, among others.