Tobi Adebowale (“Tobi”) is a Policy Adviser at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero where he works with the UK government on formulating, implementing and delivery of strategic policies that address the issues around energy security, reliability and affordability. His role also involves working on decarbonisation in the UK and facilitating investment in low-carbon energy infrastructure.

Previously, Tobi headed the legal unit at Depthwize Nigeria Limited (Depthwize), an indigenous oil drilling company with significant operations in Nigeria’s inland and shallow water drilling market.

Tobi is a highly resourceful lawyer with cognate experience advising on diverse and complex transactions in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly oil & gas assets acquisitions and divestment, electricity infrastructure development and construction, mergers and acquisitions, corporate and project financing, and project documentation.

Prior to joining Depthwize, Tobi worked with two notable commercial law firms, George Etomi & Partners, and Banwo & Ighodalo respectively, over a five-year period. He was regularly involved in the drafting and negotiation of relevant agreements for the establishment, development and construction of thermal power plants, hydro power plants, embedded and captive power projects, and financing and construction of distribution infrastructure for the supply of electricity under the Eligible Customer framework. Other transactions he has advised upon include the financing of Trans-Niger Oil & Gas Limited’s acquisition of oil and gas assets from Shell, Total and ENI; the privatisation of Afam Power Plant; the review of Performance Agreements between the Bureau of Public Enterprises and electricity distribution companies; the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria’s workshop on and review of Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreements used in Nigeria’s growing gas market; rural electrification and renewable energy projects; feedstock gas supply and purchase arrangements; a Presidential initiative for the upgrade of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure; and a World Bank-funded initiative for upgrading distribution and metering infrastructure in Nigeria. He also advised on private equity investment and restructuring of a Power-As-A-Service multinational company with operational bases across Africa; and the negotiation of power supply contracts for multiple customers of solar power companies in Nigeria.

Tobi is a multi-disciplinary practitioner who, in addition to his transaction advisory experience, has represented clients in the energy sector at various levels of court as well as mediation and arbitration panels for matters bordering on labour issues, debt recovery, and validity of exploration licences. He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom) and an Associate of the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group.

Additionally, Tobi has a commendable zeal for community service. Tobi is the immediate past Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Young Lawyers’ Forum, in which capacity he facilitated the implementation of policies for the welfare and professional development of over 19,000 young lawyers across Nigeria. He has also previously served as a member of the collaborative committee of the Nigerian Bar Association -Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) on business reforms; and a member of the NBA Lagos Continuing Legal Education & Mentorship Committee. Relatedly, Tobi co-founded Lawyard (www.lawyard.org), currently one of Nigeria’s foremost legal media and technology platforms, which helps to enhance access to justice by connecting members of the public to lawyers and providing access to legal resources and informative essays.

Tobi has contributed research papers on Renewable Energy, Aviation, Health Litigation, Gas Regulation and Water Resources to the Lawyard Journal, International Law Office, Getting the Deal Through, the World Bank’s Enabling the Business of Agriculture (EBA) journals respectively, among others.