By Ayo Susan
Ayodeji Oyetunde, Partner at Aluko and Oyebode, has been shortlisted for Individual Dealmaker of the Year (West Africa) at the DealMakers Africa Awards 2025, reflecting his role in advising on several high value transactions across the region.
According to the firm, Oyetunde has advised on multiple public and private capital market deals, strategic investments and corporate restructuring mandates with an aggregate transaction value exceeding 20 billion United States dollars.
The recognition coincides with Aluko and Oyebode’s broader presence on the DealMakers Africa Awards shortlist, including nominations tied to major transactions involving Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Africa Capital Alliance and Arnergy.
DECISION HIGHLIGHT
Aluko and Oyebode Partner Ayodeji Oyetunde has been shortlisted for Individual Dealmaker of the Year (West Africa) at the DealMakers Africa Awards 2025, following advisory roles on transactions collectively valued at over US$20 billion.
Key transactions referenced include advisory work on the international equity offering and London Stock Exchange listing of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, the establishment of a N5 billion commercial paper programme for Accion Microfinance Bank, the rights issue for Citibank Nigeria and a US$34.4 million private placement for Wema Bank.
DECISION MEMO
Recognition at dealmaking awards often reflects broader patterns in capital market activity rather than merely individual performance. In this instance, the nomination underscores the gradual reactivation of complex financial transactions across Nigeria and West Africa.
Capital raising activity involving equity offerings, private placements and commercial paper programmes has become more prominent as financial institutions and corporations respond to tightening liquidity conditions and evolving regulatory frameworks.
Oyetunde’s advisory roles across several high-profile transactions illustrate the increasingly technical nature of deal structuring in African capital markets. Transactions involving international listings, private equity exits and structured debt instruments require legal advisory expertise capable of navigating both domestic and cross border regulatory regimes.
The international equity offering and London Stock Exchange listing of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc represents one of the most visible examples of Nigerian financial institutions seeking deeper access to global capital markets.
Similarly, the commercial paper programme established for Accion Microfinance Bank reflects a growing trend among financial institutions to utilise short term debt instruments as alternative funding channels within Nigeria’s domestic capital market.
The advisory work linked to Citibank Nigeria’s rights issue and the private placement for Wema Bank indicates that financial institutions continue to rely on equity capital injections to strengthen balance sheets in a volatile macroeconomic environment.
Oyetunde’s nomination therefore reflects more than personal recognition. It points to the evolving role of specialised legal advisory firms in structuring increasingly sophisticated financial transactions across West Africa.
At the institutional level, Aluko and Oyebode also secured nominations for Deal of the Year and Private Equity Deal of the Year categories, linked to transactions involving Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc and the exit of Africa Capital Alliance from Aradel Holdings.
DATA BOX
Total transaction value associated with advisory mandates: over US$20 billion
Commercial paper programme for Accion Microfinance Bank: N5 billion
Private placement for Wema Bank: US$34.4 million
Key transactions referenced:
International equity offering and London Stock Exchange listing of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc
Commercial paper programme for Accion Microfinance Bank
Rights issue for Citibank Nigeria
Private placement for Wema Bank
Africa Capital Alliance exit from Aradel Holdings
Arnergy Series B equity raise
Award platform: DealMakers Africa Awards 2025 (West Africa)
WHO WINS / WHO LOSES
Corporate advisory firms with strong capital markets expertise benefit as African financial institutions increasingly pursue complex financing transactions.
Financial institutions raising capital through equity and debt instruments gain access to liquidity needed to support expansion or balance sheet restructuring.
Private equity investors also benefit from structured exits facilitated through capital market transactions.
Institutions without access to sophisticated advisory support may face disadvantages in executing large scale financial deals in an increasingly competitive capital market environment.
POLICY SIGNALS
The transactions referenced in the nominations suggest continued reliance on capital markets as a funding channel for banks and corporations operating within Nigeria’s tightening monetary environment.
They also reflect the increasing integration of Nigerian financial institutions into global capital markets, particularly through cross border listings and international equity offerings.
Regulators may face growing pressure to strengthen governance frameworks for complex financial instruments as deal volumes expand.
INVESTOR SIGNAL
The visibility of transactions involving international listings, private placements and commercial paper programmes indicates that capital markets remain a viable financing channel for West African corporations despite macroeconomic volatility.
Institutional investors monitoring the region may interpret these developments as signs of gradual deepening of financial markets, particularly in sectors linked to banking and energy.
RISK RADAR
Market volatility remains a major constraint. Rising interest rates and currency instability could affect the viability of capital raising transactions.
Regulatory risk also persists, particularly for cross border listings and international capital market activities requiring compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
Execution risk is another factor. Large scale financial transactions depend heavily on investor confidence and market timing, both of which remain sensitive to broader macroeconomic conditions.
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