Legal & Compliance Officer

The Legal & Compliance Officer role is an independent appointment within the Office of the Group COO, reporting directly to the Group Chief Operating Officer and the Group Chairman.

The successful candidate will be expected to formalize the organization’s legal baseline, construct a compliance function from the ground up, and support the COO in creating the governance architecture the organization requires as it grows. A passion for compliance and a systematic approach to building structures where none previously existed are essential for success in this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Independent Legal Review
   • Conduct a structured review of historical agreements, contracts, and commercial arrangements across a portfolio of companies to establish a consolidated legal baseline and ensure all documentation is in order and aligned with current group standards.
   • Catalogue and maintain a centralized register of all active agreements, obligations, and material commitments across portfolio companies.
   • Advise the Group COO on the legal standing of existing arrangements and support the orderly formalization of any agreements requiring updating or regularization.
   • Coordinate with external solicitors as directed by the Group COO on specific matters requiring specialist input.
2. Compliance Architecture and Management
   • Design and build the group's compliance function from inception, including the development of a compliance framework, policies, procedures, and monitoring mechanisms.
   • Develop a comprehensive compliance manual aligned with Nigerian regulatory requirements and applicable best practices, and maintain it as a live document subject to periodic review.
   • Develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory map across the organization’s operating sectors and jurisdictions, tracking all applicable laws, regulations, and statutory obligations.
   • Establish and manage a compliance calendar covering all filing, reporting, and renewal obligations across portfolio companies, including CAC, FIRS, LIRS, and sector-specific requirements.
   • Conduct periodic compliance risk assessments across portfolio companies, identifying areas of regulatory exposure and recommending proportionate remediation measures.
   • Monitor regulatory developments across relevant sectors and provide timely, actionable briefings to the Group COO and Group Chairman.
   • Maintain up-to-date records of compliance incidents, regulatory correspondence, and remediation actions taken; ensure all compliance documentation is properly filed and retrievable.
   • Drive compliance awareness across the organization, developing practical guidance materials and working with business unit leads to embed compliance discipline into day-to-day operations. Design and deliver structured compliance training for staff and management across portfolio companies, including periodic refreshers and updates on regulatory changes.
   • Prepare periodic compliance status reports for the Group COO and Group Chairman, highlighting obligations due, actions taken, and areas requiring attention.
3. Corporate Governance Support
   • Support the Group COO in developing and implementing the group's corporate governance framework, including board governance policies, subsidiary oversight protocols, and terms of reference for management committees.
   • Assist in the preparation and maintenance of governance documentation across portfolio companies, including board resolutions, meeting minutes templates, and organisational policy registers.
   • Provide guidance on directors' duties, conflict of interest protocols, and related-party transaction management in line with applicable Nigerian corporate law.
4. Legal Advisory to the COO
   • Provide day-to-day legal counsel exclusively to the Group COO and Group Chairman, including review of new agreements, term sheets, and commercial proposals prior to sign-off.
   • Advise on legal risk associated with strategic decisions, new initiatives, and operational matters as they arise.
   • Ensure the group's data handling practices are compliant with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and any other applicable privacy obligations; advise on data protection matters as required.
   • Oversee basic AML awareness obligations applicable to the group, ensuring that relevant policies are in place and that staff understand their responsibilities under Nigerian AML legislation.
   • Support due diligence processes for new investments, financing arrangements, and strategic transactions as directed by the Group COO.
   • Contribute to the group's investor-readiness programme by ensuring legal and compliance documentation meets institutional standards.
5. Other
   • Carry out other legal and compliance responsibilities as may be assigned by the Group COO or Group Chairman.