About

Tope leads our Energy/Natural Resources Practice Group and is also a member of the Litigation/Arbitration Practice Group.

His far-ranging practice expertise includes admiralty, commercial litigation and arbitration, oil and gas law, projects and infrastructure, and tax. Tope applies his in-depth legal experience and commercial insight to complex legal, regulatory, and commercial issues in transactions and litigation in the oil and gas sector, especially with clients in exploration and production activities.

Notable achievements

Because he thoroughly understands the business objectives of each client in each matter, he has helped them achieve successful results in some of the most significant cases and transactions in Nigeria, including:

• Moni Pulo Limited’s drilling and oilfield service contracts relating to OML 114
• Southfield Petroleum in the construction of a gas processing plant in the western delta of Nigeria
• Total E&P Nigeria Limited in its diverse operations
• A client, in the management buyout of shareholders in a leading indigenous petroleum exploration and production company, with a transaction value of US$500 million
• West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited in the review and amendment of the International Project Agreement with and among the Republic of Benin, the Republic of Ghana, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Republic of Togo, including the review and amendment of the Tariff Methodology and Gas Transportation Agreements
• An indigenous petroleum exploration and production company in the successful acquisition of an oil and gas asset from an international oil company that was divesting its 40% participating interest in the oil mining lease
• A petroleum exploration and production company throughout its campaign to drill four development wells in an oil field offshore Nigeria, including negotiation of the rig contract and contracts for ancillary drilling services
• Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited in various oil and gas and funding transactions

Personal interests

Tope is an avid fan of cricket and golf.