Picture of some of the richest Nigerian Lawyers. Tunde Folawiyo at number 1, Adewumi Ogunsanya at number 3, Aare Afe Babalola at number 5 and Mr. Gbenga Oyebode at number 7.

Richest lawyers in Nigeria: a look at the who’s who of the ten wealthiest Nigerian Lawyers.

In a country with booming legal practice, success stories and entrepreneurship, success is often measured by the value one has in terms of money. The success, however, is years of hard work and toil that gets people where they are today.
Law Repository Nigeria presents to you a list of the ten richest Nigerian Lawyers, with their net worth in millions of dollars.

We look at the who’s who of the list.

1. Mr. Tunde Folawiyo

With an estimated net worth of more than $700 Million, Mr. Tunde Folwayio is one of the richest Nigerian lawyers. He is the managing director of Yinka Folawiyo group – a group he inherited from his father, Wahab Folawiyo. He worked with the law firm of Ogunsanya & Ogunsanya till 1989 before he abandoned active legal practice.

2. Mr. John Olatunde Ayeni

He is a Nigerian lawyer, investor and business magnate. He holds board positions on companies throughout Nigeria. He is the chairman of Skye Bank PLC, Aso Savings and Loans PLC, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Yola Electricity Distribution Company and a host of other companies. He is a founding partner in Legal Resource Alliance in Ikeja, Lagos. He has an estimated net worth of $600 Million

3. Mr. Adewumi Ogunsanya SAN

Mr. Ogunsanya is a managing partner in the law firm of Ogunsanya & Ogunsanya and he is one of the newest Senior Advocates in Nigeria. Mr. Ogunsanya is the chairman of several companies like Smile Nigeria, Trocadero Group of Companies, Multichoice Nigeria and a host of others. He is a board member of Heritage Bank. Mr. Adewumi is worth over over $250 Million.

4. Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim

Founder and Chairman of Global Fleet Group, he is best known for being a former gubernatorial aspirant in Ondo State. He is worth an estimated $200 Million

5. Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON

Aare as he is fondly called is the founding partner of Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers), one of the largest law firms in the country reputed to have produced the most senior advocates of Nigeria. Aare is also the Founder of the popular Afe Babalola University. He handled many cases on behalf of the federal government under the Olusegun Obasanjo regime. He has an estimated net worth of $150 Million.

6. Mr. Wole Olanipekun, SAN

He is one of the most popular lawyers in Nigeria. He is a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association. He is the face of Election Petition in Nigeria and is one of the most sought after lawyers in Nigeria. He is the managing partner of Wole Olanipekun & Co, a firm he founded. With litigation costs running into several millions of dollars, Mr. Olanipekun is worth an estimated $122 Million.

7. Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, MFR

One of Nigeria’s most renowned commercial lawyers, Gbenga Oyebode is a founder and Managing Partner of Aluko & Oyebode- a successful corporate and commercial law firm in Nigeria. He owns a minority shareholding in MTN Nigeria, and sits on the company’s board. Mr Oyebode is also a former chairman of Access Bank PLC and the current chairman of Okomu Oil and Crusade Insurance. The value of his shareholdings in these companies is worth tens of millions of dollars. He has an estimated net worth of $120 Million. He is qualified to practice in New York and Nigeria.

8. Mr. Wale Babalakin SAN

Mr. Babalakin is a managing partner in the law firm of Babalakin and co. He is also the chairman of several Nigerian companies. His company built the famous MMA2 in Lagos and was initially granted the contract to reconstruct the Lagos-Ibadan expressway until it was revoked in November 2012. Mr. Babalakin is worth an estimated $80 million and is consistently ranked as being one of the richest Nigerians.

9. Dr. Konyinsola Ajayi SAN

Dr. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN serves as Managing Partner of the law firm of Olaniwun Ajayi and is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Dr. Ajayi has been a legal counsel in Nigeria since 1980 and has over 25 years legal expertise in Energy and Natural Resources, International Business Transactions, Banking, Capital Markets, Construction and Engineering, Privatisation as well as Litigation and Arbitration. He is a Board member at Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC. He is worth an estimated $25 Million.

10. Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama SAN

He is a managing partner in the law firm of JK Gadzama & Partners, a firm he founded. He contested and lost the 2016 Nigerian Bar Association Presidential Election. He has an estimated net worth of $15 Million.