Top 12 Richest Lawyers In Nigeria And Their Net Worth 2024
Many think that lawyers are poor, which is no longer quite the truth these days. It is clear to me that there are quite a number of lawyers in Nigeria who make millions of naira a week from law. By the time you finish reading this post, you may already be in accord. Here is the information about the top 12 richest lawyers in Nigeria and their net worth.
Wealthiest Lawyers In Nigeria 2024
- Adewale Tinubu – $1billion
- Babatunde Folawiyo – $650million
- John Olatunde Ayeni – $600 million
- Abubarka Malami SAN – $500 million
- Afe Babalola – $350 million
- Wale Babalakin SAN – $260 million
- Adewunmi Ogunsanya – $250 million
- Jimoh Ibrahim – $200 million
- Wole Olanipekun – $122 million
- Gbenga Oyebode – $120 million
- Belgore Family – $100million
- Femi Falana SAN – $80 million
1. Adewale Tinubu
Are you familiar with Oando PLC? Of course you are. It might come as a 'surprise' to know that Adewale Tinubu is the Chief Executive Officer of Oando, which is perhaps the biggest oil company in Nigeria. This was not the case, and we have him as one of the investors of this high-class oil and gas company. Besides being a famous corporate planner and advocate from Lagor State, Nigeria, Adewale Tinubu is also an engaged member of the legal profession. This work ethic has won him nodes from scholars. Tinubu comes from a wealthy background but made his own income even as a student by getting involved in numerous ventures.
Public Limited Company Oando announced that, as of August 22, 2024, it had finalized the purchase of Nigerian Agip Oil Corporation from the Italian group Eni. Oando completed this deal with related value in shares for about $783 million. It is important to mention that Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the present president of Nigeria, is an Uncle to Adewale Tinubu. He was educated in the University of Liverpool in the UK and hails from Lagos State. Reports state that when Tinubu was a president in the first year, Oando PLC net worth ranged from N70 billion to N1 trillion margins.
2. Babatunde Folawiyo
Babatunde Folawiyo who is the Director of Yinka Folawiyo group, is a businessman. He is another well-known and richest lawyer in Nigeria. Babatunde studied at the University of London, and graduated in the year of 1984. Business and lawyer is what Babatunde is into right now. His company, Yinka Folawiyo Group, is in the business of energy, maritime, agriculture, and real estate. In 2008, Babatunde took over the running of the firm after the death of his father.
Babatunde Folawiyo comes from Lagos State and is a rich lawyer as his net worth is $650 million, according to Forbes and Wikipedia. He is so wealthy that naming the top five Nigerian lawyers without his inclusion would be an unlikely task.
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Further, it is reported that over the years, Mr. Yinka Folawiyo has established companies like; Yinka Folawiyo & Sons Limited, Folawiyo Farms Limited, United Property Developers Company Limited, Yinka Folawiyo Power Limited, Yinka Folawiyo Patent Company Limited, Maritime Associates International Limited, and Folawiyo Energy Limited.
3. John Olatunde Ayeni
John O. Ayeni, a lawyer from Iyah Gbede, Ijumu, Kogi State, Nigeria, is a duly trained lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist. Educated at Baptist Secondary School in Iyah-Gbede, he is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University. In addition, he was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1991.
Of most attorneys in Nigeria, it can be said that Ayeni is one of the few elite lawyers who have built his wealth out of practising law. He was appointed to oversee the vice chair of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch because of his passion for justice and his background in providing legal advice to various reputable firms. He was also a member of the Legal Aid Council in Nigeria.
Of all the lawyers that practice in the country today, it is evident that John Olatunde Ayeni is one of the richest as his estimated net worth is $600 million.
4. Abubarka Malami SAN
Abubakar Malami, a former Federal Minister of Justice in Nigeria, should not be left off of this list as that would be blasphemous. He is a successful individual in the legal profession since he is one of the best known, the most admired, and the richest lawyers in the country. While he is an attorney in Nigeria, he also engages in politics, which is quite a profitable profession.
Abubakar Malami grabbed admission into the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after graduating from Usmanu Danfodiyo University and University of Maiduguri. He began his legal career as a magistrate in Kebbi State.
Abubakar Malami is a lawyer of prominence and holds the coveted title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), which is the pinnacle of a lawyer’s career in Nigeria. He is worth up to 500 million dollars.
5. Afe Babalola
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Without a doubt, Afe Babalola assumes the position of the mightiest lawyer in Nigeria in the present era. One of the leading private universities in Nigeria is Afe Babalola University, which was founded and is owned by him. Afe Babalola is an educated man and a practising lawyer who has accomplished much in life. People who uphold the rule of law and human rights in the country, for instance, the former serve as advocates who seek to ensure that fairness and justice prevail in Nigeria.
Babalola, Afe Patricia Oyenmoyo, is a respected farmer and owner of what is reported as one of the largest farms in Nigeria. For this second marriage, he has three children; Bolanle Austen-Peters, Michael Opeyemi Babalola, and Folashade Alli. Certainly, amongst the top lawyers in Nigeria in terms of wealth, he was estimated at $350 million. He remains among the highest earners. He hails from Ekiti State and is educated at the University of London.
6. Wale Babalakin SAN
Certainly, one of the wealthiest and most respectable lawyers in Nigeria is Wale Babalakin, SAN. First, he passes for an attorney but also has aspects of a business person.
His father was once a Nigerian Supreme Court and is now a retired judge. Wale went on to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for a law degree after the completion of his high school education. He got into the bar in 1982. He is, without doubt, one of the wealthiest lawyers in Nigeria as at the period under consideration. His estimated net worth currently stands at 260 million dollars.
7. Adewunmi Ogunsanya
Adewunmi Ogunsanya, being an active practitioner in the Nigerian legal system, is one of the most favoured lawyers in the history of the country. In the US, after graduating from Kent University in Canterbury in the year 1984, he relocated back to Nigeria to attend law school and to be able to practice law.
Even today, Ogunsanya is still involved in law practice in Nigeria. He is not only a director of Multi Choice Nigeria Ltd but also controls the multibillion entertainment conglomerate with DStv SuperSport and GOtv brands.
As Heritage Bank Nigeria is concerned, Ogunsanya Popoola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is reputed to be worth two hundred and fifty million United States dollars ($250) dollars and for this he ought to be one of the richest lawyers in Nigeria. There is no doubt that he is amongst the richest lawyers in Nigeria.
8. Jimoh Ibrahim
On the 24th day of February 1947, Jimoh Ibrahim was born, he is a Nigerian politician, businessman, and lawyer of repute Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where he did a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree of Laws. Later, on his academic career, he was awarded a master’s degree at Harvard University, Cambridge. Jimoh Ibrahim is also notable in the field of law, but he has many business where he earns the most. He has interests in publishing, insurance, realty, or airlines, oil, and gas.
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He is equally regarded as one of the richest men in Nigeria. He worths $200 million.
9. Wole Olanipekun
On 18th of November, 1951, Chief Wole Olanipekun was born in Ekiti State, and he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and also a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976 and has helped in shaping Nigeria's law practice. Apart from being a vice president at Pan African Lawyers Union, he is also a founding member of NATO and an international bar association.
Wole Olanipekun net worth estimates 122 million United States dollars. Without a doubt, he is one of the highest-paid lawyers in Nigeria. Although he is active in business as well, his role as a lawyer remains an important factor in his success and has placed him among the richest lawyers in the country.
10. Gbenga Oyebode
In Nigeria, one of the eminent legal firms is Aluko & Oyebode, which was founded by Gbenga Oyebode. He was born on the March 30th, 1959 in Ado Ekiti. He has large business entities such as aviation, power, oil & gas, and foreign direct investments. He obtained a bachelor of law degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University OAU in 1980 and was conferred with the LLB.
Oyebode was also an undoubted member of International Bar of Associations and the chartered salders retired institutions. He has a net worth of personally approximated at 120 million dollars.
11. Belgore Family
The family of Belgore, based in Ilorin, Kwara State, has gained notoriety due to their influence in Nigeria’s political and legal spheres.
Ahmad Belgore: A notable person in practice, and who has risen in rank and billings. Worked previously as a judge on Appellate Divisions. He breathed last in April 2024. After clocking seventy years, on 18th April 2023, he sent a notice indicating that he was withdrawing from the courts of appeal.
Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore: The Chief Justice Of Nigeria from 2006 to 2007, this eminent jurist is the Waterloo of the area. He has held various high offices in the Nigerian judiciary.
Dele Belgore: He is in practice as an attorney and was a governorship candidate in kwara State in 2011.
Justice Belgore: He worked in many judicial posts, who is well remembered for his tenure as a Supreme Court Justice in Nigeria.
Adewale Belgore: He is unrivalled in his ability as a corporate executive barrister who earns respect not only for his engagement in business undertakings but also his legal practice in Nigeria.
12. Femi Falana SAN
Femi Falana is a Nigerian lawyer born on May 20, 1958, and is particularly known as the father of the musician, Falz the Bahd Guy. He is among the Nigerian lawyers who have depended solely on the law for their livelihood. He has now become a full-time lawyer after winning a number of high profile cases on behalf of clients.
Falana is also active in the promotion of human rights. In 2007, he attempted to contest for the position of Ekiti State governor but lost that election. He is married to Funmi Falana, who is a very well-known advocate for women’s rights. Even though, his net worth can not be considered to be entirely accurate, it was assessed roughly as $80 million , making him one of Nigeria’s wealthiest attorneys.
