Sotonye Belonwu

• Conducted research and drafted a working policy brief on the Energy Charter Treaty Modernization for consideration at the OECD working sessions on “renegotiation” of the ECT.
• Drafted a working policy brief on the Renegotiation of the ECOWAS Energy Protocol for consideration at the ECOWAS secretariat.
• Advised member states in the Global South and the EU on restructuring bankable infrastructure investments towards Nature Based Infrastructure (NBI) and sustainable financing policies;
• Advised governments on the reform approaches of bilateral, regional, and multilateral investment treaties;
• Review of developing countries participation in the National Adaptation Program on climate mitigation and the provision of provision of capacity training on various sustainable financing models in climate change adaption.

• Collaborated with the digital projects team to advance research and gain deeper understanding of the digital infrastructure framework in Tonga
• Collaborated with the projects team to draft a working proposal for digitalization of the health system in the country of Tonga through extensive data mapping.
• Maintained high levels of confidentiality to protect data quality and project research.

• Advised local and international clients of leading Nigerian commercial law firm, in the areas of mergers and acquisition, project finance and corporate law:
• Mergers and Acquisitions: Advised on market-defining local and cross-border mergers and acquisitions particularly in the oil and gas sector. Negotiated and drafted transaction documents including Non-Disclosure Agreements, Term Sheets, Share Purchase Agreements, Merger Agreements and Shareholders Agreements. Conducted due diligence investigations and drafted due diligence reports. Delivered memoranda and opinions on the applicable regulatory requirements and compliance with local antitrust regulations. Advised a leading Nigerian oil and gas company on theUS$503 million cash acquisition of the issued share capital of an Aberdeen oil group.
• Project Financing: Participated in the development and financing of oil and gas projects in Nigeria. Carried out due diligence and produced due diligence reports. Drafted and reviewed the project documentation, financing and security documentation and direct agreements. Advised on regulatory and licensing issues. Advised a co-sponsor in relation to the debt and equity financing of the construction of the Assa North/Ohaji South 300mmscf gas processing plant in Nigeria.
• Corporate Law: Negotiated and drafted operational contracts and corporate authorizations and operational documents. Conducted due diligence investigations and drafted due diligence reports. Researched and drafted memoranda and opinions on a wide variety of corporate law matters including corporate governance. Coordinated the incorporation of legal entities and day-to- day corporate activities of Nigerian companies.

Representative Matters

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Advised Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, a leading Nigerian oil and gas player on the US$503 million cash acquisition of the issued share capital of Eland Oil and Gas Plc, an Aberdeen oil group.
• Advised Nigeria’s lending retail pharmaceutical company on its USD30 million capital raising exercise and acquisition by a Nigerian PE firm;
   Advised Carrefour Group, a leading French multinational retail company, on the circa US$13 million cash & carry joint venture business with Konga Group, a leading Nigerian e-commerce company.
• Advised Rainoil Limited, a prominent Nigerian downstream oil and gas company on the US$11 million cash acquisition of majority shares in Eterna Plc, a publicly listed downstream oil and gas company.

Project Development and Finance

• Acted as lender’s legal adviser in the USD325 million project financing of oil and gas assets in Nigeria through entities in Luxembourg;
• Advised on the US$1Billion alternative financing transaction for the development of the OML 11 asset, one of the first transactions emerging from the new asset financing structure adopted by the national oil companyin Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
• Advised Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, a co-sponsor, in relation to the circa US$680 million debt and equity financing for the construction of the Assa North/Ohaji South (ANOH) 300mmscf gas processing plant in Nigeria.
• Advised Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited on the US$36 million construction of a 5,000 bpd modular refinery.

Corporate Finance

• Advised a syndicate of lenders, including commercial banks, on the restructuring of the US$283.3 million medium-term loan facility granted to Oando Plc, one of Africa's largest integrated energy solutions providers.
• Advised three Nigerian Banks on its security sharing over the assets of a Nigerian Energy Company in connection with different bilateral loan facilities worth US$300 million;
• Advised the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, and the African Finance Corporation on the establishment of its USD 35.6 Billion infrastructure fund;
• Advised a Nigerian entity on structuring its $50,000,000 term loan facility from a consortium of Nigerian banks;