Mfon, an internationally acclaimed expert in transport laws and project finance is the Managing Partner of the firm. Her deep knowledge of transaction and commercial practice makes her highly recommended by both domestic and international organisations. She leads the firm’s team in maritime, aviation, project finance and energy matters actively participating in complex domestic and cross-border transactions. Under her supervision, the firm’s transaction team provides first-in-class legal advisory services to satisfied clients in the private and public sectors cutting across diverse areas.

Mfon’s relevant experience includes:

Legal Consultant and project team member to Geometric Power Limited (an Independent Power Producer) in a green-field US$386,000,000.00, 188MW Integrated Power Project.  Mfon led the transaction team in the negotiations, development of the transaction structures and drafted all the documents with respect to the establishment of the IPP which will generate, transmit and distribute electric power to industrial and commercial clusters on ring-fenced mode in Aba, Nigeria.  This involves extensive and rigorous negotiations with the Federal Government agencies including the then National Electric Power Authority and its successor, Federal Ministry of Mines and Power, National Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel and other groups and organizations such as industrial and commercial off-takers, financial organizations, gas companies and technical partners. Mfon led the PUC team in drafting and or reviewing other project contracts including the EPCs, gas pipelines and supply agreements. She also advised the company on environmental issues including compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Lead Counsel in several financing transaction, which includes: 

• US$76,047,536.00 Exim Bank-guaranteed loan facility granted by Private Export Funding Corporation
  (“PEFCO”) of USA to Union Bank of Nigeria for financing the purchase by Arik Air Limited (“Arik”) of 3 Boeing 737-700 aircraft.  
• GBP42,000,000.00 guaranteed bridge loan facility granted by HSBC to the Cross River State Water Board (CRSWB) for financing of the construction of 3 water schemes in Cross River State. PUC reviewed and negotiated all the finance documents. 
• US$37,782,000.00 Exim Bank of USA guaranteed loan facility granted by HSBC Bank Plc to First Bank of Nigeria Plc for finaning the acquisition of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft by Arik.
• US$65,000,000.00 Pembroke Lease SAS France aircraft lease to Arik Air.
• Consultant and advisor in several ship acquisition transactions representing buyers or financing bank. One of such deals is the Vigeo Shipping Limited acquisition of an oil tanker worth USD32million. She mapped out the transaction structure and was actively involved from the review and negotiations of the commercial terms of the
  transaction to its completion.
• Counsel to First Bank of Nigeria Plc in the financing of the US$80m vessel purchased by Sea Truck. On behalf of the Lender, negotiated, drafted and documented Finance and Mortgage documents including offshore registration of Deed of Mortgage for the acquisition of 4 vessels valued at US$80m acquired by Sea Truck Nigeria
  Limited.

Mfon led the Firm’s team on the US$120m Syndicated financing facility for development of 12,378 kilometre submarine optic fibre cable by Main One Cable Company Limited with landing stations in Lagos, Ghana and Portugal. She led the Firm in the US$880 million multi-jurisdictional complex transaction involving the sale and purchase of Chevron’s downstream operations in Africa.

With vast experience in legislative drafting and advocacy, Mfon has drafted several landmark maritime legislation and regulations such as the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act, 2007 (NIMASA Act), the Council for the Regulation of Freight and Forwarding in Nigeria Act N0. 16 of 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act No; 5 2003 and their subsidiary legislation thereof. In all the legislation, she worked closely with the Nigerian National Assembly and industry stakeholders through the various stages of conceptualisation, stakeholders’ consultations, drafting and defence of the bills until passage into laws. Acting at different times for the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the National Assembly and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Mfon drafted all the port reforms bills currently before the National Assembly.

Beyond her expertise and experience in handling complex transactions, Mfon has distinguished herself in public service. As a pioneer Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), she set the administrative landscape of the Agency in motion; in compliance with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007 drafted by PUC prior to her appointment. She has served on various Presidential and ministerial committees and has several policies, statutes and regulations to her credit, most of which were instrumental to landmark reforms and the establishment of various government agencies on diverse sectors. She is currently the Secretary General of the West and Central Africa Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control.

Her wealth of experience and unparalleled contributions to the development of the maritime industry, especially in West and Central Africa has earned her several recognitions and award. Notable among them  are the conferment of the title “Officier de L’ordre de Mono” by the Republic of Togo, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) Maritime Excellence Award as MOWCA Expert,  WISTA International Personality of the Year 2011 by Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and Maritime Award of Excellence by the WISTA Nigeria.

 

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