Solape Peters is a Partner at the Law firm of Olajide Oyewole LLP (‘OOLLP’), a member of the DLA Piper Africa Group, where she is focused on the telecoms and construction sector. Her expertise ranges from providing regulatory, commercial, and transactional expertise to government bodies, regulators, financial institutions, major corporations, and other key stakeholders.
With a career spanning over 20 years, with both in-company and external legal counsel experience, Solape’s clients describe her as “client centric” and this testimonial has been recognized by Legal500. She has also been recognized as one of the leading female lawyers in Business Law in Nigeria by Esq Legal Practice magazine. She has over a decade of in-company experience working with Celtel Nigeria, (now ‘Airtel Nigeria’) and Etisalat Nigeria (now ‘9mobile’) in various specialist and management roles.
In her current role, she co-heads the Finance and Projects Practice of the firm. Solape also leads various transactions within the transportation and infrastructure sector, which includes aviation and Public Private Partnership (‘PPP’) projects, including rail. She also provides legal advisory services in construction-related matters including drafting, negotiating and advising on complex construction and engineering contracts, development and funding and construction-related dispute mediation. Her expertise ensures stakeholders in any construction project, are provided a holistic view of the possible legal challenges, which saves time and money.
Solape is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (‘ICSAN’). She is a skilled public speaker, often speaking at PPP and other Project Management conferences and enjoys travelling and gardening.
She holds a Law degree from the University of Lagos, Nigeria and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2001.
Experience has included advising:
- Lagos State government and negotiating a concession agreement for the electronic tolling system (ETS) operations and maintenance of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge (a 1.36 km, two-lane divided cable-stay bridge)
- Various government ministries including finance, budget and planning, transportation, power, works and housing, infrastructure concession and regulatory commission, (ICRC), and the bureau of public procurement for the federal ministry of finance by providing training and capacity-building material on the legal and regulatory framework for PPPs
- Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) / Lagos State government in the project for establishment and operation of a mass rail system of transportation (Red Line) valued at USD700 million
- Lagos State government on a PPP transaction for a mass rail system of transportation in Lagos State (Blue Line) involving the negotiation of a rail concession agreement, design and build agreement, interface agreement, deferred payment agreement and other related agreements for the Blue Line rail concession valued at more than USD1 billion
- A well-known Nigerian construction firm on a construction dispute over variation orders and delayed payment from a JCT Construction contract valued at more than USD10 million
- Ship manufacturers on a construction dispute over change orders for the completion of engineering works on an FPSO-project valued at more than USD40 million
- Seller of a Hawker 4000 aircraft valued at USD5.56 million
- Churchill Finance 24 Limited’s sale of a Hawker 4000 aircraft
- Buyer of a Challenger 300 aircraft, valued at USD25 million
Professional Qualifications
- Legal practitioner admitted to the Nigerian Bar (2001)
Education
- Barrister-at-law (BL), Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Nigeria (2001)
- LL.B (Hons), University of Lagos, Nigeria (1999)
Recognition
- Leading Individual - Real Estate and Construction, Legal500 (2023)
Prior Experience
- 2012 to date, Partner, Olajide Oyewole LLP, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Nigeria
- 2010 to 2011, Adviser, African advisory services Limited
- 2008 to 2010, Manager, telecoms company
- 2007 to 2008, Adviser, Nigerian advice service
- 2007 to 2007, Supervisor, telecoms company
- 2006 to 2007, Specialist, Drafting, telecoms company
- 2004 to 2006, Contracts Administrator, telecoms company
- 2002 to 2003, Personal Assistant, telecoms company
- 2001 to 2002, Counsel-in-chambers, Lagos-based legal firm
Memberships
- Nigerian Bar Association