Technology, Media & Digital Economy
Balogun Harold provides comprehensive legal counsel across Africa's technology, media, and digital economy sectors, with particular expertise in emerging technologies, digital media, and innovative business models. Our team serves technology start-ups, established tech companies, media organizations, gaming companies, and digital platforms navigating Nigeria's rapidly evolving digital landscape and international expansion opportunities. We specialize in technology law across African markets, advising on intellectual property protection, data privacy compliance, regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies, and cross-border digital transactions. Our digital media expertise covers content licensing, advertising regulation, and platform liability, while our technology practice addresses AI, blockchain, cloud computing, and cybersecurity challenges. With deep experience in Nigeria's tech ecosystem and international digital markets, we understand the unique regulatory, cultural, and commercial dynamics of Africa's digital transformation. Our team provides strategic counsel that balances innovation with compliance, helping technology and media companies scale while managing legal risks and protecting intellectual property in competitive global markets.
Our technology, media & digital economy practice combines deep industry knowledge with comprehensive legal expertise, serving clients across Nigeria and Africa. We understand the unique regulatory and commercial challenges facing businesses in this sector and provide strategic counsel that helps clients navigate complex legal landscapes while achieving their business objectives. Our team delivers practical, business-focused solutions that protect client interests while facilitating growth and innovation. We work with leading corporations, financial institutions, and investors to structure transactions, ensure regulatory compliance, and manage legal risks effectively.
With extensive experience representing clients in technology, media & digital economy matters, Balogun Harold has established itself as a trusted advisor in this sector. Our team's deep understanding of Nigerian law, combined with international best practices, enables us to provide strategic guidance that helps clients maintain competitive advantage while ensuring regulatory compliance. We work closely with clients to develop comprehensive legal strategies that align with their business goals and support long-term success in Nigeria's dynamic market. Our approach emphasizes proactive risk management, regulatory compliance, and strategic planning, enabling clients to make informed decisions and achieve their business objectives.
We support our Clients with:
Notable Experience
Fintech Securitisation Financings
Advised and acted on behalf of multiple fintechs on the negotiation and closing of senior structured securitisation financings of over $250 million, from international investors.
Venture Capital Transactions for Technology Companies
Advised and acted on behalf of multiple tech companies and venture capital investors, in connection with the drafting, negotiation and closing of multiple venture capital investments, including Series A & B Financings.
Nigerian Market Entry for Fintech Unicorn
Advised a leading fintech unicorn on market entry into Nigeria, including regulatory compliance, obtaining all necessary licenses, and establishing local operations in accordance with Nigerian legal and commercial frameworks.
Insights & Updates
CBN Issues New Rules for International Money Transfer Firms
Nigeria's Central Bank ( the "CBN") is intensifying its efforts to safeguard the Naira from ongoing devaluation pressures. A key battleground in this mission is the international money transfer and remittance sector. This sector is particularly strategic compared to the foreign direct investments (FDI) markets because there is generally no requirement for repatriation of capital, as would be the case with FDI investments.
New Central Banking Regulations for Cryptocurrency Companies in Nigeria
In a new 2023 Regulation for the Operation of Virtual Asset Providers in Nigeria, issued by Nigeria’s Central Bank, Nigeria has effectively lifted a previous ban that prohibited local Nigerian banks from transacting with or providing business banking services to cryptocurrency companies and virtual asset service providers ("VASPs").
Fintech Lenders: From Unsecured to Secured Lending
We have a theory. It's not original but it works: Fintechs and other lenders will significantly diminish loan losses as well as the risk of loan defaults if the...
Why Has the UK Supreme Court Just Decided that Deliveroo Riders are not Employees?
A new decision of the UK Supreme Court (“UKSC”), delivered today, will have implications for the contractual relationship between tech platforms, gig workers and other key stakeholders.
Raising Money via Securitizations: Key Considerations for Startups
Contrary to common belief, the financing round following a Series A financing need not be a Series B equity financing. In between one equity financing round and the other, it is often prudent for founders to explore other innovative strategies for raising capital.
Venture Capital Portfolio Roll-Ups Can Refine Exit Strategy in Africa
Portfolio add-ons and roll-ups are a great way for venture capital funds focused on tech companies in Africa to qualify an existing portfolio for an IPO, grow revenues, lower costs and improve an underperforming portfolio
Anton Piller Orders - A Powerful Tool to Protect your Intellectual Property
When an employee or vendor steals your intellectual property or another company monetises your trademarks, patent or intellectual property rights, without your consent, one of the legal strategies that can be used to checkmate such illegal activity is to get an Anton Piller order from the courts
Is Web Scraping Illegal in Nigeria?
This legal update highlights some key legal issues for web scraping companies in Nigeria, based on a recent client engagement.
Do you need to file a Defensive Trademark? What are the Rules for Filing Defensive Trademarks in Nigeria
One of the more consistent intellectual property management strategies that global brands deploy to prevent a dilution of their trademarks and to increase the value of their trademarks is to file a Defensive Trademark. If you are thinking about preventing dilution and increasing the value of your trademark, you should consider filing a Defensive Trademark
Avoiding Permanent Establishment Risk - Nigeria's New Dependent Agents Rule
Presidential Order 5 has thrown up an array of contracting structures between local promoters and foreign OEMs and partners looking to bid for government contracts. These contractual arrangements are increasingly subject to litigation both from a taxation point of view and from the standpoint of counterparty liability and risk. Nigeria wholly consumes foreign technology, and as such, it is expected that such collaborations will continue.
Conducting Layoffs in Tech Start-ups: What are the Rules for Nigerian Layoffs?
Layoffs are always going to be a tough decision for management but may also become necessary for the survival of an employer’s business. Depending on the factors giving rise to a management decision to conduct a layoff exercise..
409A Valuation: What is it? Why is it necessary and When would you need one?
As a tech founder, there are generally two types of company valuations that you would be involved with during the life of your startup. The first and the more common one is the venture investment valuation.