Nigeria: Compliance

In a significant development, largely unprecedented in Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria ("CBN") issued a Circular titled Introduction of Market Structure Requirements, Data Localisation...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping corporate decision-making across financial services, insurance, and human resources, but when automated systems cause harm, determining accountability becomes complex. This analysis examines how Nigerian corporate governance frameworks address the legal, regulatory, and reputational risks that arise when organizations deploy AI-driven decision-making tools.

Nigeria's maritime sector undergoes a major regulatory overhaul with the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, transforming the former Nigerian Shippers' Council into a powerful economic regulator with expanded authority over port operations, tariffs, and service standards. The Act introduces mandatory registration requirements for service providers and establishes a comprehensive framework for economic regulation, though questions remain about potential jurisdictional conflicts with existing...

On 6th August 2026, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (“NMDPRA”) launched a stakeholder consultation in relation to the proposed Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Prevention...

The Federal High Court's decision in WASPAN v. FCCPC addresses a critical question for businesses operating in regulated sectors: can the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission enforce regulatory requirements on telecommunications operators already licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission? This analysis examines the court's affirmation of concurrent regulatory jurisdiction and explores the practical implications for mergers, acquisitions, and investment transactions involving

Gas flaring has been a source of pollution in the Niger Delta region for more than six decades, polluting the atmosphere the soil, and eroding the lives of communities living in one of the most oil-rich regions in Africa. The Nigerian government's efforts at solving this environmental problem have been characterized by delay and capture. The enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act 20212 represents the most ambitious legislative attempt yet to bring routine flaring to an end, through an explicit statutory prohibition, mandatory monetisation planning, and a new institutional architecture anchored around the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

A recent judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on 23rd May, 2026 serves as an important reminder for businesses operating or seeking to operate in Nigeria that obtaining a Certificate of Incorporation from the Corporate Affairs Commission (“CAC”) does not automatically mean that a business name is beyond legal challenge.

The Petroleum Industry Act 2021 separated upstream regulation from midstream and downstream regulation, but how does that separation apply to pipeline infrastructure that sits between production, transportation, processing and export? This analysis examines the statutory basis of pipeline licensing after Executive Order No. 9 of 2026, how jurisdiction is allocated between the NUPRC and the NMDPRA, and what this means for operators, lenders and project sponsors.

Nigeria's fintech ecosystem continues to attract significant local and foreign investment, but navigating its complex and overlapping regulatory framework remains critical to deal certainty, change of control and exit planning.