Who are the richest lawyers in Nigeria currently? The mindset of many in the country is that the legal profession and legal practitioners are usually poor. It might have been true then but we can’t say that about the profession anymore.
It will definitely surprise many to know that there are high numbers of lawyers that are extremely wealthy but they also happen to be the best in the legal business
Here, we will be making a list of top lawyers, their state of origin, school, and net worth.
Top 10 Richest Lawyers In Nigeria
| 1. | Adewale Tinubu | $700 million |
| 2 | Afe Babalola | $680 million |
| 3. | Babatunde Folawiyo | $650 million |
| 4. | John Olatinde Ayeni | $600 million |
| 5. | Adewunmi Ogunsanya | $260 million |
| 6. | Wale Adelakin | $250 million |
| 7. | Jimoh Ibrahim | $200 million |
| 8. | Wale Olanipekun | $122 million |
| 9. | Gbenga Oyebode | $120 million |
| 10. | Femi Falana | $80 million |
1. Adewale Tinubu, net worth – $700 million
Adewale Tinubu is the richest lawyer in Nigeria. He studied at the University of Liverpool, England and hails from Lagos State.
The Lagos State lawyer is the Chief Executive Officer of Oando Oil, which is among the biggest in Nigeria and had one of the highest participations in the establishment of the notable company.
The renowned lawyer is a business consultant and a very industrious man; this has been testified by many scholars.
Though from a rich background, he didn’t rely on his family’s wealth and ventured into several businesses even while he was a student to earn a living for himself.
He is a relative of the former governor of Lagos ( Bola Tinubu; His uncle). He has a net worth of over $700 million.
2. Afe Babalola (CON, OFR, SAN), net worth – $680 million
Afe Babalola is one of the richest SANS in Nigeria. He is an indigene of Ekiti State and he studied at the University of London, England. He established and owns the second-best private university in Nigeria; Afe Babalola University.
Although he owns a private university, it doesn’t stop him from practising law. He is into agriculture as well and had one of the biggest farms in Nigeria.
He contributed immensely to the Nigerian legal system by making sure that the innocent gets justice. His net worth is said to be around $680million.
3. Babatunde Folawiyo, net worth – $650 million
Babatunde is of Lagos State origin and was schooled at the University of London, England, and got his master’s degree in law at the same school.
He is an entrepreneur and the director of the Yinka Folawiyo Group ( The Folawiyo family is among the top 10 richest families in Nigeria). He also studied at the London School of Economics.
His group deals in energy, agriculture, shipping, and real estate. He took over the company after the demise of his father in 2008. His net worth is over $650 million, making him the third richest lawyer in Africa.
4. John Olatinde Ayeni, net worth – $600 million
He studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is an indigene of Ijumu, Kogi state. The businessman, philanthropist, and lawyer was schooled at Baptist secondary school. He was called to the bar in the year 1991.
Surprisingly, he got the majority, or we can say he got his wealth solely from practising law, as he has worked as a legal adviser for many reputable companies.
He was formerly a member of the legal aid council of Nigeria. He has an estimated net worth of $600 million and is one of the top 5 wealthiest lawyers in Nigeria.
5. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, net worth – $260 million
He is a very famous lawyer of Lagos origin. He went to school at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. His contribution to the development of the legal system cannot be overemphasized.
He is the present chairman of Multichoice Nigeria LTD (they operate and own brands such as Supersport, GOTV, and DSTV). He is also the chairman of the Trocadero group of companies.
Adewumi Ogunsanya is one of the best lawyers in Nigeria. He is currently a SAN and has a net worth of $260million.
6. Wale Adelakin (SAN), net worth – $250 million
He is an entrepreneur and a lawyer. He hails from Oyo state and attended the University of Lagos. He is a recipient of a National Honor Award of Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR).
This award is only for reputable and notable lawyers. His father is retired chief justice of the supreme court of Nigeria and he was called to bar in the year 1982.
He is one of the wealthiest lawyers in Nigeria. His net worth is over $250 million.
7. Jimoh Ibrahim, net worth – $200 million
He was born on the 24th of February 1947 in Ondo and also hails from Ondo state. He attended Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied public administration alongside law, then went for his master’s at the prestigious and notable Harvard University, Cambridge, England.
He is a lawyer, politician with a high interest in the business. He has an investment in the oil and gas sector, aviation sector, insurance, real estate, and publishing.
He is said to have over $200 million as his net worth. Note that, he is also among the top 30 richest men in Nigeria.
8. Wale Olanipekun, net worth – $122 million
He is an origin of Ekiti and he studied at the University of Lagos. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He was born on the 18th of November 1951.
He is currently the vice president of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and an integral member of the Nigerian Body of Benchers and the International Bar Association.
He was called to bar in the year 1976 and since then, he has been contributing greatly to the development of the legal sector. He, just like many others have an interest in the business. He has a net worth of $122 million.
9. Gbenga Oyebode, net worth – $120 million
Gbenga Oyebode is one of the richest lawyers in Africa. He studied at Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Pennsylvania.
He hails from Ekiti State and is a co-founder of the Aluko and Oyebode law firms, one of the best in the country. Here is another lawyer who made his fortune solely from practising law.
Currently, he is the chairman of Yamaha Motors Nigeria LTD and an important member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the international bar association. His net worth is estimated to be $120 million.
10. Femi Falana, net worth – $80 million
The Ekiti State lawyer studied at Obafemi Awolowo University. He is the father to one of the most influential artists, Falz the bahd guy, who is also a lawyer.
He is also one of the lawyers that got their fortune from their legal profession. The legal rights activist contested the Ekiti State governorship election but lost. His net worth is about $80 million.
Conclusion
The legal system of the country is fairly sturdy when compared to other African countries. As a country, we do have a long way to go when it comes to making laws and implementing them.
Hopefully, as the country continues to produce more lawyers and lawmakers, this seemingly distant gap would be breached.
