FOLAKE ELIAS-ADEBOWALE
PARTNER
Folake Elias-Adebowale is a corporate partner and a member of the firm’s M&A, Private Equity & Venture Capital, and Oil and Gas teams. Her specialisations include cross-border and domestic equity and asset investments, divestments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring and restructuring, joint ventures, strategic alliances, fund advisory, and compliance matters.
She advises financial, operational, and other sponsors, investors, funds, fund managers, and corporates, including multinationals and conglomerates, organizations, and other clients on diverse matters and transactions in agriculture, agro-allied, brewery, construction, digital payments, consumer, energy (including renewables), energy services, financial services, FinTech, FMCG, food and beverage, healthcare, industrial, infrastructure, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, reinsurance, and travel sectors, among others.
Folake’s regulatory advocacy work includes participating on the board of the Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, Nigeria (PEVCA) and on the legal and regulatory committees of the Global Private Capital Association (GPCA) legal and the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA). She serves on a joint committee established by PEVCA and the Securities and Exchange Commission that focuses on the regulation of private equity and venture capital in Nigeria.
She headed teams that produced a social impact investment mapping report for the Impact Investors’ Foundation and various parastatals; headed a Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment private equity and venture capital development initiative, and assisted with a state initiative to review and prepare draft legislation for the downstream gas sector among other regulatory advocacy initiatives.
Folake is ranked by the Chambers Global Guide for Corporate/M&A and Private Equity and is also ranked for Oil & Gas; Chambers FinTech Legal Guide for FinTech Investment and Venture Capital advisory; the International Financial Law Review (IFLR1000) for M&A, Project Finance, and Restructuring; the Legal500 for Commercial, Corporate, and M&A and rated a Leading Individual for Energy and Natural Resources; and by Who’s Who Legal Global Guide (M&A and Governance) and Who’s Who Legal Guide (Nigeria) respectively for her M&A and Governance, Energy, Natural Resources & Mining, Project Finance, and Capital Markets (Private Equity) work. She is commended by TheLawyer’s Africa Elite Private Equity Report, has been named an IFLR1000 Woman Leader and is regarded as one of BusinessDay Nigeria’s Top 20 Outstanding Nigerian Women in Business Law.
Folake serves as a non-executive director on company and association boards. She authors articles and updates makes presentations and facilitate training on private equity, M&A, oil and gas, investment, employment, regulatory and compliance matters and on business writing. Her thought leadership pieces have been published by Chambers Global Practice Guides, The Law Review, the IFLR1000, the ICLG, Mondaq, Lexology, the International Law Office, GPCA, AVCA, Into Africa, Centaur, and Afriwise, among others.
| 2007 | Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie |
| 2002 | Senior Associate, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie |
| 1995 | Attachment, G. Elias & Co |
| 1992 | Placement, Field Fisher Waterhouse Solicitors, London |
| 1991 | Research Assistant, International Legal Department, Midland Montagu (later Hong Kong Fir) Bank, London |
| 1991 | Research Assistant, the Law Commission of England & Wales |
| 1991 | Mini Pupillage, 4, Stone Buildings Chambers, Lincoln’s Inn |
| 1991 | Mini Pupillage, 4, Essex Court Chambers, Lincoln’s Inn |
| 1996 | BL, Nigerian Law School |
| 1993 | LL.M, University College, London |
| 1992 | BA, (Jurisprudence), Somerville College, Oxford University |
| 1997 | MA (Honoris Causa) Oxford University |
| 1996 | Nigeria |
Nigerian Bar Association
Contact details
What the market says…
"Extremely professional and hard-working with a strong focus on delivering a high-quality work product even under challenging circumstances and tight deadlines."
- Chambers Fintech
I was impressed by Folake Elias-Adebowale’s robust knowledge of Nigerian law and by the general practice’s knowledge of the industry.
- Legal 500
Unlike other practitioners I have encountered in the market, the negotiations were focused on key matters and so saved all parties time and allowed for the closing of the deal in record time.
- Legal 500
Mrs. Adebowale created different scenarios for our company in respect of the transaction and recommended the most efficient and cost-effective step.
- Legal 500
Mrs. Folake Elias-Adebowale is a seasoned lawyer with several years of legal practice. Her knowledge of M&A is really commendable, and this enabled her to lead the transaction seamlessly.
- Legal 500
"Folake Adebowale has an outstanding intellect and pragmatic approach."
- Legal500
“Folake Elias-Adebowale distinguishes herself in the market with her outstanding track record on project financing matters within the energy, manufacturing and industrial sectors.”
- WWL
“Folake Elias-Adebowale earns impressive endorsements from peers and clients, who describe her as "a well-known M&A lawyer with many years of experience".”
- WWL
“Folake Elias-Adebowale is a distinguished practitioner who wins praise from market commentators for her specialist work on oil and gas matters.”
- WWL
"Folake is the partner who manages all matters that I bring to UUBO. She does not always deliver the work but she is great at finding the right people. She is a very sophisticated advisor who listens to her clients and finds practical solutions."
- IFLR1000
''...an expert in cross-border upstream and downstream petroleum investments and joint ventures''
- The Legal500
"Extremely strong in her practice area, might be the best in Nigeria for finance and investment."
- IFLR1000
"She keeps matters on time and budget and works with me if I have any issues. We have a great relationship and I value her candor. I have the utmost faith her work, and she is a person of integrity."
- IFLR1000
"Personable, effective and practical."
- IFLR1000
"Folake is an M&A star. She's very knowledgeable and understands her market in and out."
- IFLR1000
''...an exceptional attorney with excellent commercial advice that helped us significantly in navigating the Nigeria venture capital industry"
- Chambers Global FinTech Legal Guide
"…she is dedicated to client service, relentless in her attention to detail, and has a pragmatic approach. I found her extremely supportive."
- Chambers Global Guide Corporate/Commercial
‘’…a wealth of experience in project financing, investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, and upstream and downstream oil and gas mandates. She also provides regulatory advice. She is extremely clever."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"Folake is an M&A star. She's very knowledgeable and understands her market in and out."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"Folake Elias Adebowale is co-head of the private equity team and advises on a number of cross-border transactions, including acquisitions, compliance and project financing."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"One client highlighted her as "a diligent, pragmatic, solutions-driven lawyer.
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"Regarded by sources as "a lawyer with deep experience in mergers and acquisitions,"
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"Folake Elias-Adebowale is notably involved in international work. Interviewees praise her "expertise displayed on all energy-related corporate/commercial legal advisory work."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"She is a popular choice thanks to her "good judgement and ability to cut across many different practice areas."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
"One source stated that she has a "very good understanding of Nigerian requirements and can translate them so that we can use them commercially and in practice."
- Chambers Global Guide: Projects and Energy
