Taiwo Afonja

Taiwo Afonja is the Managing Partner of Dentons ACAS-Law, practicing in the Energy and Project Finance group, specializing in Oil and Gas Law. She focuses on energy and natural resources, representing multinational and national clients on licensing, acquisitions, divestments, farm‑in transactions, strategic alliances, and financing in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, as well as mining and power sectors. Her practice also includes general corporate commercial and real estate matters, including M&A, corporate restructuring, and joint ventures.

Taiwo has advised on numerous significant energy and M&A transactions, including advising a Chinese investor on farm‑in and financing arrangements over an indigenous concession; advising on the acquisition of all 45% undivided participating interests collectively held by Shell, Total, and Eni in OML 42; acting as local counsel in a Fortune 500 company's US$1.05 billion acquisition of another multinational IT company; advising on a client's US$170 million acquisition of Willbros Group's business in Nigeria; advising a Nigerian oil services company on an N17 billion acquisition of steel fabrication assets; and advising multiple clients on the 2020 Nigerian marginal field bid round. She also advises on project financing, including an N8 billion secured term loan facility for a tank farm and supporting infrastructure, and on investments in mining and mineral titles.

She holds an LL.B from Obafemi Awolowo University (1994) and was called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1995.

Taiwo is recognised as a Highly Regarded practitioner by IFLR1000 (2022, 2024), and as an Index Thought Leader for Firm Management and a Recommended Practitioner – Energy by the Lexology Index (2025).