Law Space

Elizabeth Idigbe’s Path to Dominance in Nigeria’s Energy & Property Law Space

Elizabeth Idigbe is one of the leading female lawyers in Nigeria. She serves as the Managing Partner and Partner in Charge of Energy & Power, Real Estate, Trust & Wealth Management, and Company Secretarial Practice Groups at Punuka Attorneys and Solicitors.

With over 33 years of experience in the corporate and private sectors of the economy, she has built a pristine reputation in the legal subsects of oil and gas, arbitration, debt factoring and restructuring, real estate & project finance, foreign direct investment, and general corporate practice, earning her the best female Managing Partner in Africa award from Law Digest Africa.

In building her career, Elizabeth worked in different industries, such as banking and oil and gas. While working in oil and gas, she served as the General Manager in charge of Human Resources, Corporate Services, and Company Secretarial at Forte Oil Plc, previously known as African Petroleum Plc. from there, she left and returned to the firm.

Speaking about her experience after returning to the legal space under the umbrella of Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, a multidimensional law firm with a diversified portfolio and client base, she said, “Each day is very different as I am faced with new challenges and clients both locally and internationally.

To continue to meet up with these demands, I have been compelled to update my knowledge base constantly. Over the years, I have developed a special interest and expertise in the following areas of practice; oil and gas, capital market, company secretariat, real estate, estate planning and probate, and arbitration.”

Career attainment

Elizabeth Idigbe became a certified lawyer from the University of Benin, Edo State. She was called to the Nigerian Law School and earned her Barrister at Law (B.L.) in 1987.

Idigbe attended the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos and obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) in 1989. She became certified in advertising by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria in 2002.

Two years later, she received a Diploma in Advertising from the same body. As an arbitration lawyer, in 2015, she received a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration and a Diploma in International Arbitration in 2016 from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, United Kingdom, doubling as a fellow of the institution.

Idigbe is also a member of the International Bar Association, the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Business Recovery & Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), Women in Management & Business, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

Roles filled on her career path

Elizabeth Idigbe served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, UK (Nigeria Branch), from 2017 to 2019. She once occupied the General Manager HR/Corporate Services/ Company Secretariat seat of Forte Oil Plc, previously known as African Petroleum Plc.

Idigbe was also the Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser for the extinct Ivory Merchant Bank Limited and an Associate of Chike Chigbue & Co.

She is, however, not all work and no play. Whenever she is not working, she uses her time to work out and get involved in charity and community development, both on the basis of personal commitments through the Punuka Foundation.