Understanding Nigeria's evolving legal and policy framework for data localisation, data residency, sovereign cloud infrastructure and cross-border data transfers Introduction Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and digital sovereignty have fundamentally changed the way governments think about data. Around the world, policymakers are increasingly asking where data should be stored, who should have access to it and under what circumstances it should leave national borders. These questions are no longer confined to technology policy, they have become matters of economic policy, national security, industrial development and international trade. Nigeria is no exception...
AELEX
Overview
AELEX is a full service commercial and litigation law firm. It is one of the largest law firms in West Africa with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja in Nigeria and Accra, Ghana.
The firm has local legal expertise and presence, political & industry wide connections with an appreciation for global standards. AELEX was formed as a result of the merger on July 1, 2004 of four leading commercial law firms. O. Adekoya & Co., Victor & Charles, Anga & Emuwa and Adegbite Adeniji & Co.
Members of the firm are active in many professional associations including the International Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Arbitration Association, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Association, Centre for American and International Law, Venture Capital Association of Nigeria, International Trademark Association, and Telecommunications Lawyers Association of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, African Telecommunications Think Tank, American Society of International Law and the Nigerian Society of Engineers. Also, the firm is a member of a number of business associations including the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, West African Enterprise Network, and the Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria.
The firm is the Nigerian member of the law firm section of the World Services Group.
The firm is licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission to provide advisory services in relation to securities.
Year this Office was Founded: 2004
Lawyers Worldwide: 69
Notable
Areas of Practice
Representative Clients
Professionals
Articles
CBN's New Payments Framework: Is Nigeria Introducing Functional Separation into the Payments Ecosystem?
The CBN's recent circular introducing market structure restrictions within the payments ecosystem may represent one of the most significant regulatory interventions in the sector in recent years. While the circular also introduces data localisation and ultimate beneficial ownership disclosure requirements, among its most consequential features are the provisions restricting the extent to which a participant with significant market share in consumer issuing activities may also participate in merchant acquiring activities, and vice versa. At first glance, the requirements appear relatively straightforward...
Press releases
CBN Signals a Fundamental Shift in the Regulation of Financial Services Groups
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has published for consultation its Exposure Draft of the Guidelines on Ring-Fencing Operations of Closely Linked Entities in the Nigerian Financial System. While the Guidelines are not yet in force, they signal a significant shift in the CBN's regulatory expectations for financial services groups operating multiple licensed entities.At first glance, the draft appears to focus on ring-fencing and governance. However, its implications extend much further...
AELEX PARTNERS MARKS ITS 22ND ANNIVERSARY
AELEX proudly marks its 22nd anniversary, celebrating more than two decades of delivering commercially focused legal solutions, shaping business outcomes, and supporting economic growth across Nigeria, Ghana, and the rest of Africa. Since its establishment, the Firm has built a reputation for advising on some of the region’s most significant transactions, disputes, regulatory developments, and policy initiatives, serving multinational corporations, financial institutions, governments, development organisations, investors, and emerging businesses across diverse sectors...



