ICE 2025 Speakers
Navigating U.S. Sanctions, Export Controls, and Tariffs: Implications for Nigerian Businesses
Presentation
Adetayo “Tayo” Osuntogun advises business and institutional clients on international trade law, including export controls, economic sanctions, trade remedies, trade policy and customs and import regulations.
Tayo represents clients before various federal agencies such as the Bureau of Industry and Security, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. International Trade Commission and the International Trade Administration.
His experience in export controls and economic sanctions includes assisting clients with commodity jurisdictions, licensing, drafting and revising compliance policies and procedures to meet the demands of an ever-shifting regulatory environment, as well as assisting clients with export classifications. Additionally, Tayo counsels clients regarding licensing services and enforcement issues with respect to U.S. economic sanctions, anti-boycott regulation and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
Fireside Chat
The Nigerian Business Test: Will AI, ESG and Ethics change the game or repeat the past
Moderator
Yinka Edu is a Partner in the firm’s Banking & Finance team, and heads the firm’s Capital Markets team. She has been involved in a range of financial and capital markets transactions, including advising on the first global depositary receipts programme, the first Eurobond issuance by a Nigerian Corporate, and the establishment of the first ETF to be listed in Nigeria.
She regularly advises on the establishment of mutual funds, derivatives transactions and public Merger & Acquisition transactions. She also advises on issues relating to the Nigerian bond market, and on compliance issues in connection with banking and capital market assignments, many of which, being innovative or new to Nigeria, often require skilled liaison with our regulatory authorities. She was a core member of the team that advised several local banks with the 2008 banking consolidation mergers.
Yinka has published articles in Getting the Deal Through – Securities Finance – Nigeria, and in The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Mergers & Acquisitions. She presents papers and conducts seminars at the IBA Conferences on security for bank lending and on capital markets’ issues. She chairs the Capital Markets’ Solicitors Association of Nigeria, and is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law Competition Committee.
Yinka is the only Nigerian lawyer to be ranked Tier 1 in Chambers and Partners for fintech work. She is also ranked by Chambers Global for her expertise in banking & finance and corporate/commercial practice, and is commended for her banking and finance and capital markets work in Who’s Who Legal. She sits on the board of several companies.
Speakers
Abubakar Suleiman
Folashade Ambrose Medebem
Panel Session 1
Global Rules, Local Realities: Rethinking ESG Compliance and Corporate Integrity in African Markets
Moderator
Uade Ahimie stands as a prominent authority in Africa’s drive toward sustainable business practices, corporate governance, and responsible enterprise. With more than three decades of rich experience spanning finance, energy, digital media, and consulting, Ahimie demonstrates deep expertise and unwavering dedication to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
A chartered accountant and thought leader, he authored CRAPI-FART – Perspective for an Emerging Market, where he shares keen insights into the complexities and opportunities surrounding African business. Ahimie’s career features pivotal roles in Nigeria’s energy sector—particularly with Sahara Group, where he built core frameworks for internal audit, risk management, ESG and compliance. As Acting Managing Director of Sahara Bulk Storage Facilities Limited, he guided the company through critical operational transitions, overseeing logistics and warehousing.
Notably, he pioneered Sahara Group’s inaugural sustainability report in 2015 and replicated this milestone at Ikeja Electric and Egbin Power Plc., setting industry benchmarks for responsible business within Nigeria’s power sector. His impact now extends to digital media and fintech as a board advisor with Financial Services Innovators (FSI), nurturing Nigeria’s growing fintech ecosystem. Through his consulting firm, Accounting Lab Limited, Ahimie advises Egbin Power Plc. on sustainability reporting and content strategy.
Beyond boardrooms, Ahimie is a respected economic and political analyst featured on Arise TV, News Central TV, and multiple radio platforms. He is also dedicated to developing future leaders, mentoring young analysts at Nairametrics and teaching as Business Masters Class faculty.
Currently, Uade Ahimie is the Head of Strategy and Public Affairs on the Nairametrics Editorial Board.
Speakers
Olumide Lala is the Executive Director & Co-Founder of Climate Transition Limited and Chief Executive Officer of Barton Heyman Limited, one of Africa’s foremost transaction structuring and advisory firms with a proven track record of delivering landmark deals across the continent’s most dynamic sectors.
A seasoned Capital Markets Development Specialist, Olumide brings nearly 30 years of leadership experience spanning ESG advisory, climate finance and sustainability, policy and regulatory alignment, capacity building, financial product innovation, and operational transformation. He has advised central banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), governments, and private sector institutions across Europe and Africa on the design and implementation of funding models for MSMEs, pre-seed capital structures, and market development strategies.
Over the past decade, Olumide has been instrumental in driving the development of the Green Bond’s market in Africa, advising the Federal Government on the issuance of its first two Sovereign Green Bonds (2017, 2019) and supporting landmark corporate issuances by Access Bank and North South Power Company—including Africa’s first Climate Bonds Initiative-certified corporate green bond in Kenya and Namibia.
Prior to co-founding Climate Transition Limited, Olumide served as Head of Transformation and Change at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, where he delivered market-shaping initiatives including the introduction of the FIX trading protocol for straight-through processing, and the rollout of market making and securities lending in Nigeria’s equity market.
Earlier in his career, he held senior capital market roles in the United Kingdom, leading innovations such as the first pan-European buyside-only crossing network trading 3,000 securities across 14 markets.
Tinuade Awe is the CEO of TMSN Limited, a boutique advisory firm specializing in governance, ESG & sustainability, and regulatory compliance. She serves as an Independent Director at Lily Hospitals, sits on the Supervisory Board of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and is an advisor to FITC’s ESG Institute and Feemo Vision Limited.
She was the inaugural CEO of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), leading the regulation of Nigeria’s capital market from 2020–2024, after a decade of senior leadership roles at the Nigerian Stock Exchange. She has also served on the boards of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, and several governance and market advisory committees locally and globally.
Earlier in her career, she practiced law internationally with Banwo & Ighodalo, the United Nations, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York. She holds LL.M degrees from Harvard Law School and the LSE, is admitted to the Nigerian and New York Bars, and is a Fellow of multiple governance and compliance institutes.
Recognized globally for her leadership, Ms. Awe has received numerous awards, including General Counsel of the Year (2017–2018) and selection as one of the World Federation of Exchanges’ Women Leaders (2021).
Oludamilare Adesola
Ibrahim Shelleng is a distinguished financial services and climate finance expert with extensive experience in business development, strategic relationship management, risk analysis, and project finance. He currently serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, where he spearheads national efforts to mobilize climate investments, engage key stakeholders, and advance Nigeria’s carbon market development. With a career spanning investment appraisal, ESG advisory, and portfolio management, Ibrahim has played a pivotal role in strengthening financial ecosystems. His leadership experience extends across asset management, banking, and financial services, contributing to innovative financing solutions and sustainable economic development. Before his current appointment, he served as the Head of Business Development at the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC). Ibrahim is a Chartered Stockbroker (ACSI, CISI UK) and holds an MBA.
Panel Session 2
Internal Signals, External Pressures: Strengthening Whistle blower Protocols and Investigative Capacity
Moderator
Bunmi Malik is a dual-qualified Lawyer (Nigeria & New York) and Governance Risk and Compliance Leader.
She is currently a Principal, Conduct, Financial Crime, and Compliance Governance for Nigeria & West Africa at Standard Chartered Bank managing and reporting Compliance Risks, providing Financial Crime and Regulatory Compliance Governance support and monitoring Conduct Risks.
She was previously Deputy, Group Company Secretary of UBA Plc and the Head, Governance, Africa responsible for the alignment and institutionalisation of Corporate Governance across all19 African Subsidiaries.
She was recognised by Diligent as an influential GRC leader in Digital Innovation and selected as the first African in the Visiting International Scholar Program at Crowell & Moring LP and C&M International, a Government Relations, Public Policy and Public Affairs firm in Washington DC. She had a stint in Compliance at UBS Investment Bank and served as the General Counsel for RenMoney (formerly Renaissance Credit).
Bunmi is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK and has qualifications in Law and Business from the University of Ibadan, University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton Business School.
Speakers
Ayokunle Ayoko
Tomisin is an Associate at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, where she is a key member of the Capital Markets and Compliance & Investigations teams.
Her practice spans a variety of corporate and regulatory areas, with a particular focus on capital markets transactions, compliance frameworks, and complex investigations. Since joining the firm, Tomisin has advised both local and international clients on a range of capital market transactions, including equity issuances, bonds, commercial paper, and collective investment schemes, while frequently interfacing with regulatory authorities on compliance matters.
Known for her meticulous approach to legal research and drafting, Tomisin supports clients in navigating complex regulatory landscapes and managing compliance risks. Her expertise has earned her recognition as a “Rising Star” in Capital Markets: Debt by the IFLR1000 2023 edition, and in 2024, she was honoured with the prestigious 40 under 40 Rising Star Award by the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards.
Lola Adekanye is a seasoned corporate integrity, governance, and public accountability policy and development specialist at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), where she oversees multi-million-dollar programs in 12 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
She specializes in analyzing, developing, and monitoring programs that galvanize the private sector, public sector, and organizations to address integrity and accountability gaps. Through capacity development, collective action, preventive measures, and effective advocacy, she works to transform the corporate culture and business environment towards greater transparency, accountability, and systemic anti-corruption.
To address systemic corruption in African economies, Adekanye initiated and oversees Ethics 1st — a scalable, multi-stakeholder initiative led by CIPE that provides local solutions for global impact. Ethics 1st empowers companies across Africa to resist corruption, making them reliable and attractive partners in global value chains.
The initiative connects businesses from rural to urban cities across 29 countries, building a shared culture of accountability and resilience against corruption. Its stakeholders include African governments, multinationals, and over 750 companies in 29 countries — and counting.
Panel Session 3
AI-Driven Innovation: Navigating Risk and Accountability
Moderator
Godson Ogheneochuko is a partner in the firm, specialising in a diverse range of corporate matters including Corporate Advisory, Telecommunications, Media and Technology, Real Estate & Construction, and Aviation. He also spearheads the firm’s Government Relations and Public Policy practice.
Prior to rejoining Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Godson was Principal Advisor at Dev-Afrique Development Advisors, leading their public policy and government relations practice and directing Policy Vault Inc., a non-profit enhancing access to African government policies.
His policy expertise is underscored by his leadership in supporting the Kaduna State Government to become the first in Nigeria to domesticate the National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy, and his ongoing work in the implementation of the Kaduna State WEE Policy, following the launch of the state policy by the Governor in November 2024.
Godson’s experience also includes a significant tenure at British American Tobacco (West & Central Africa Area) as Corporate / Commercial Counsel and later as Senior External Affairs Manager. In these roles, he advised on legal, regulatory and fiscal issues across Anglophone West Africa and developed strategic public affairs campaigns. His experience spans manufacturing, trade, taxation, non-oil exports, and stakeholder management across the region. Godson also worked closely with his counterparts in Cameroun, Benin, Niger, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo DR, South Africa, etc. to manage key business issues.
Speakers
VP/Senior Managing Counsel, Privacy, AI and Data Responsibility Lead,
Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard
Femi leads Mastercard’s privacy, AI and data responsibility team for its EEMEA region. His expertise in privacy and data protection was known before joining Mastercard through his demonstrated capacity and innovation in Nigeria where he led the development and implementation of the country’s first data protection framework, the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
At Mastercard, Femi supports 82 countries. His scope of work include supporting product and business teams on ensuring products and services conform to privacy, AI and security-by-design . His regulatory engagement with privacy regulators across the region has also helped to ensure that changes to privacy and data protection laws enable both protection and innovation. Femi led Mastercard’s partnership with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to launch the global-first privacy training movie for all employees in Nigeria.
Femi is Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), a sought after speaker and writer. He is the author of Witty Sayings and Quotes of Nigerian Judges (2012); Introduction to Computer Law in Nigeria (2015)
Blessing is a visionary leader in the data space, driving data-driven strategies across West and Central Africa. She is a seasoned AI and Data Manager at Deloitte, with a strong educational background that includes a B. Tech in Statistics and an M.Sc. in Mathematical Science. Her meticulous nature and leadership skills drive the successful implementation of big data analytics, GenAI, machine learning, BI, and data management solutions for various clients, enhancing strategic decision-making at all levels.
Blessing’s expertise spans diverse cloud platforms and programming tools, complemented by exceptional communication skills that simplify technical concepts for all stakeholders. She fosters collaborative and innovative environments and is dedicated to mentoring her team and community in continuous learning.
Blessing’s projects have significantly impacted clients throughout West, South, and Central Africa, enhancing their operational capabilities and competitive advantage in the market. She has played a key role in crafting data management, data policy, analytics, and AI strategies and roadmaps, guiding clients toward innovation and smarter decision-making.
Her commitment to professional development is evident through her extensive experience in delivering training programs, both internally and for clients. This, coupled with her impressive array of training badges and industry-recognized certifications, as well as her expertise in data management and governance, ensures that data quality and best practices are upheld throughout the data lifecycle.
Adewolu Adene currently leads Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google. In this role, he is responsible for developing country-level strategies that align with global organizational goals, with a keen focus on the evolving regulatory environment. He has a proven track record of developing advocacy campaigns for policy engagement and advising global business leads on local policy compliance and its implications.
Prior to his current role, Adewolu spent over a decade in the telecommunications sector, holding key regulatory affairs positions at MTN Nigeria, MTN Group HQ, and Etisalat Nigeria. During this time, he was instrumental in assessing regulatory changes affecting business operations, advising leadership on risks and opportunities, and engaging with government authorities to help shape the regulatory agenda. His work has consistently involved building and managing multi-level stakeholder relationships to drive advocacy and achieve strategic objectives.
With a background in both Law and International Business Management from the University of Ibadan and Kent Business School , Adewolu brings a multifaceted perspective to the critical discussions around AI-driven innovation, risk, and accountability.
Tinuola Akinbolagbe