Lagos, Nigeria – 29 July 2025 — Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie (UUBO), one of Nigeria's foremost full-service commercial law firms, hosted its inaugural General Counsel Summit today 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.
Held in collaboration with Lex Mundi, the world's leading network of independent law firms, the summit convened local and international experts under the theme: "Confronting Complexity, Igniting Innovation, Reinventing Resilience."
From cutting-edge sessions on cross-border M&A, AI governance, and data protection, to thought-provoking panels on regulatory risk, geopolitical volatility, and the growing strategic role of General Counsel, the event explored the critical intersections between legal, business, and policy imperatives shaping today's boardrooms.
Speaking during the welcome address, Aniekan Ukpanah, Senior Partner at UUBO and current Chair of the Lex Mundi Board of Directors, highlighted the Summit's vision:
"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, Eric Staal, and Director of Innovation, Andy McDonnell, both delivered critical insights on the changing global legal landscape, especially in the context of AI, cybersecurity, and operational resilience. They were joined by an exceptional roster of speakers from Lex Mundi member firms including Bowmans, Faegre Drinker, Bentsi-Enchill, and Bennani & Associés.
Key sessions included:
- A Cross-Border M&A Panel addressing real-world dealmaking challenges across Africa
- A 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
- Insights from Dr. Tayo Aduloju, CEO of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, on the policy and economic outlook for 2025–2026
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.
The Summit closed with reflections and networking cocktails, hosted by UUBO partners and Lex Mundi leadership, and underscored a shared commitment to supporting General Counsel as strategic value creators in the boardroom and beyond.