Our attorneys are active players in the African Fintech industry and have, over the years, helped to build the industry through the provision of sophisticated legal advice to startups, maturing companies and established financial services companies leveraging technology to deliver banking and financial products and services. African Fintech companies—including electronic payment platforms, payment processors, digital banks, mobile lenders, investment platforms and open banking platforms—trust us to provide legal advice on all legal issues, including, but not limited to, formation, licensing, regulatory interface, product development, marketing, venture financing, strategic partnerships, and acquisitions. Our attorneys leverage their experience and deep understanding of laws and regulations in the broader financial services industry to provide customized legal solutions to fintech companies operating in Africa while also helping these companies develop products shaping the African financial and economic landscape.  

Selected Experience of the Team: 

• Extensive experience advising regulators, fintech and payments companies on laws and regulations in the financial services, fintech and payments and securities industries including the development of new regulatory framework for emerging products in the financial services and securities industries; 
• Reviewed and provided in-depth analysis of fintech and payments products (including the front and backend infrastructure) of different clients to determine applicability of financial services and securities regulations and licensing requirements to such products  
• Prepared clients for the procurement of licenses with different financial services, payments and securities regulators in Nigeria including but not limited to the CBN, SEC. Specifically researched, and identified the relevant licenses applicable to the client’s operations and prepared the relevant application documents for submission with the regulator(s) 
• Advised a leading African unicorn on the launch of multiple payment products across Africa; 
• Advised fintech and payment companies such on all legal aspects of their operations in Nigeria; 
• Worked with cross-functional teams (such as product and engineering) within organizations to implement and automate compliance functions while also embedding the obligations in technology products to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations; 
• Assisted not less than 15 financial services and securities companies with obtaining different financial services and securities licenses from the CBN and the SEC. Leveraged effective project management and lean principles, to coordinate the team; prepared the documentation checklist for the clients, assisted the clients with drafting the relevant documents, submitted the documents with the regulators and liaised with the regulators (from time to time) on the status of the applications (to ensure successful and timely outcomes) 
• Advised fintech companies and regulators on legal issues relating to new and emerging technologies, such as payments, fintech, blockchain and crypto-asset, robo-advisory, and digital stockbroking