As awareness of the benefits of arbitration spreads, there has been an increase in the popularity of arbitration as a mechanism to solve international disputes. Our research identifies 24 individuals who stand out for their expertise in acting as counsel and as neutrals, making this one of the largest chapters in this publication.

In the past year, Nigeria has gained “category one” status from the US Federal Aviation Administration, allowing foreign registered aircraft to fly direct from Nigeria to the continental United States. This has boosted confidence in the nation’s aviation industry, and seen rapid developments in the legal sector. Seven lawyers have been identified as the leaders in this field.

After a federal clean up of bank assets, Nigeria’s banking sector is forecast to grow by 15 per cent this year. Following the presidential elections, the financial services legal market is in a transitional period as they await further reforms and programmes to improve the country’s banking sector. Lawyers look forward to an increased demand in compliance and regulatory work, and in time, a more confident and secure sector.

This year, we list eight Nigerian capital markets lawyers, all of who can be considered leaders in the field.

Earlier this year the Nigerian government approved the introduction of national tax policy (NTP) in the country. The NTP aims to provide a firmer base for tax legislation in the country, eliminating multiple taxation across federal, state and local governments and improving the business climate for foreign and domestic companies. We recognise three lawyers whose corporate tax expertise places them in the front rank of practitioners in this fast-developing marketplace.

As a country innately rich in natural resources, the environmental effects of extraction are well documented in Nigeria. The widespread social and environmental problems stemming from oil and mining operations in the south east of the country have highlighted the need for local legal expertise to limit the impact of continued energy development. We feature three lawyers in this section who are at the forefront of practice.

This chapter identifies nine individuals who are highly regarded for their restructuring and bankruptcy work in the country.

Intellectual property is an emerging field of law in Nigeria. Lawyers explain that the rights-based legislation exists but it needs to be better promoted in order to encourage investment into the country. Copyright and trademark law are the most prominent areas of practice, and we feature 16 lawyers who specialise in this sector.

With the conclusion of the national elections earlier in the year, many domestic and foreign companies are eyeing Nigeria with increased confidence in the country’s political and economic stability. No group of lawyers will feel the effects of this commercial optimism more keenly than the 18 names we recognise in this chapter, whose expertise in M&A transactions marks them out as “national leaders”.

Mining has been in the spotlight of late with the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development rolling out the new Mining Regulations 2011. The deemed lack of clarity surrounding the previous rules was seen to hamper investment. With mining perceived as an area that can assist in the diversification of Nigeria’s economy, the new regulations seek to aid development in this sector.

At the time of writing, the Nigerian government is in the process of pushing through the Petroleum Industry Bill, which promises to reshape and modernise the country’s oil and gas industry. With a key aim of the legislation being to encourage foreign investment and foster competition, coupled with historic highs in the price of oil, this sector looks to become even busier in the coming years. In this chapter we single out 21 lawyers who are at the cutting edge of this marketplace.

With the presidential elections taking centre stage, there was a slow start to the year in terms of project finance work. Now the elections are over, the investment decisions that were put on hold are more likely to be revisited and there is an expectation that work will pick up in this sector. The energy space still accounts for a significant portion of project finance work. Recent activity has seen oil giant Shell seek to consolidate its operations in Nigeria with the disposal of its onshore oil block.

The past year has seen the privatisation of Nigeria’s national fixed line provider, Nitel, and the introduction of Africa’s first LTE network in Lagos. Rapid growth in the number of internet users coupled with increasingly active foreign investment are fuelling healthy levels of expansion in the country’s telecoms sector. We recognise 12 lawyers from eight different firms who lead the field in this area.

Our research illustrates the sophisticated level at which Nigeria’s shipping bar operates. A total of nine individuals have been selected for the quality of their shipping counsel.

AELEX was formed in 2004 as the result of a merger between O Adekoya & Co, Victor & Charles, Anga & Emuwa and Adegbite Adeniji & Co. This combination of expertise has created one of the largest firms in West Africa with a diverse range of legal services on offer, as evidenced by the firm’s 15 listings across 12 of the following chapters.

Established in 1993 by founding partners Bankole Olumide Aluko and Gbenga Oyebode, Aluko & Oyebode has developed into a full service corporate and commercial firm attending to clients worldwide. The firm achieves 18 listings across nine of the following sections.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Banwo & Ighodalo is again one of the most highly regarded firms in this edition, earning nine listings in six of the following chapters.

With over 40 years of experience, F O Akinrele & Co is a firm with a long-standing reputation in the corporate and commercial sector. Seven listings across five chapters in this edition attest to the firm’s “exceptional” quality.

Olaniwun Ajayi is one of Nigeria’s oldest post-independence law firms and enjoys a far-reaching international network. The firm achieves eight listings over five chapters in this publication.

Templars was created in the 1990s and currently maintains four offices in Nigeria’s major economic hubs. Templars lawyers achieve seven listings in five of the following chapters and make up “one of the most sophisticated teams in the country” according to one source.

Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie is the best represented firm in this edition, with 20 listings in six of the following chapters. In each chapter the firm is represented by at least three lawyers: a very strong performance that highlights the firm’s “phenomenal strength in depth”.

Role: Company Secretary and Legal Adviser

Company: Intercontinental Bank PLC

Sector: Banking

Number of employees:12,000

Preferred law firms: Olaniwun Ajayi LP