Obafemi Agaba

Obafemi Agaba is a Partner, Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Chairperson of the firm’s Executive Committee, focusing on Intellectual Property Law. He is a seasoned commercial lawyer who transitioned from general and commercial litigation to become a recognised expert in brand protection.

His expertise includes IP rights litigation, anti-counterfeiting, commercial IP transactions and IP policy. He is also gaining recognition in Technology Litigation (TechLit), representing global entities in the new and social media and FinTech sectors in litigation, advisory and regulatory matters.

Obafemi serves as a Mediator on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Panel of Neutrals, handling copyright and technology disputes, and is a member of the Nigerian Copyright Commission’s Panel of Neutrals, where he has participated as a co-mediator in copyright dispute resolutions.

He is a skilled commercial dispute resolution practitioner, representing local and international clients in areas such as oil & gas, labour & employment, construction and regulatory compliance, and excels in litigation portfolio management, efficiently handling multiple court cases across Nigeria for various clients.

Obafemi is a champion for IP rights, serving as President of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN) and Sub-Committee Chair for Legislation and Regulation at the International Trademarks Association (INTA). He is a frequent speaker at local and international conferences on IP law and has contributed to key legislative frameworks including the Nigerian Copyright Act. He also takes on pro bono cases to support the criminal justice system and decongest correctional facilities.

He is a Notary Public and is consistently ranked as a leading lawyer by organisations such as Chambers & Partners, Managing IP and Who’s Who Legal. He holds an LL.M in IP from University College London, a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Copyright Law from King’s College London, a B.L from the Nigerian Law School and an LL.B from Lagos State University. He is an alumnus of Harvard Law School and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).