Mr. Emwanta Omorodion Ehigiato graduated from the University of Lagos in 1982 and the Nigerian Law School in 1983 with Second Class Upper Division. He holds a Certificate in International Business and Commercial Law (1990) awarded by McGeorge School of Law University of the Pacific, California, USA. Mr. Ehigiato is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators London. He holds an LLM degree from the University of Lagos and a Masters in Business Administration from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State. He had earlier worked with NAL Bank Plc (now Sterling Bank Plc) from 1985 to 1988 and Rims Merchant Bank Limited, 1989 to 1997 where he rose to the position of the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser and Group Head Management Services. He was employed by Crusader Insurance Nigeria Plc as Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser in 1997 and retired from the company in 2011.

He was a Partner in the law firm of Giwa-Osagie & Co from June 2012 to October 2015. Mr. Ehigiato is an accomplished author and has written several legal articles on various aspects of law. Has attended relevant trainings in Nigeria and abroad.

Specific Transactions handled
– Member of the team that reviewed the human resources aspects of Microsoft and Nokia acquisition such as salaries and bonuses.
-Member of the team that reviewed the human resources (HR) documentation for a foreign owned Commercial Bank in Nigeria (City Bank). This involved conducting a legal audit on the bank’s staff loan documentation, preparation and review of legal documents.
-Reviewed staff productivity scheme/malus for a company as well as disciplinary procedures.
-Part of the team that advised a cement manufacturing company in the construction industry on its second plant project. Reviewed the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts and also the security documents. UNICEM -GENERAL CONDITIONS SPECIAL CONDITIONS-INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT- PERFORMANCMENT BOND-ADVANCE PAYMENT BOND-GUARANTEE.
-Part of the team that reviewed the various agreements for the construction of an independent power plant under the current power sector reform initiatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Reviewed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Implementation Agreement (IA) and the various security documents.
-Part of the team that reviewed the Gas Supply Contract involving some local companies.
-Advised some foreign clients on the legal requirements for establishing businesses in Nigeria.
-Part of the team that advised a South African company on the regulatory and the legislative regime in force in Nigeria relevant to Bancassurance. The assignment involved a detailed study of the relevant laws and regulations in force and pending relating to banking,
insurance and pensions in Nigeria. The team advised on the optimal structure to be employed by the company in its planned Bancassurance relationships in Nigeria.
-Led the team that reviewed various agreements between the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and some Nigerian companies and a foreign bank in respect of the financing of some projects in the Power Sector in Nigeria.
-Member of the team of Legal Advisers involved in the divestment exercise of Enterprise Bank Limited from its subsidiaries which involved conducting due diligence on the subsidiaries and reviewing applicable laws and regulations and relevant documents.
-Whilst in the employment of Crusader Nigeria Plc, he was member of a team of Legal Advisers that conducted due diligence on behalf of Crusader Insurance Plc during the consolidation that took place in the Insurance Industry in 2007. The team conducted duediligence on the following companies, Golden Insurance Company Limited, Royal Trust Assurance Company Limited, Refuge Insurance Company Limited and Admiral Insurance
Company Limited. The due diligence resulted in the merger of Crusader Insurance Plc with Admiral Insurance Company Limited and the acquisition of the other insurance companies.
-He was a member of the legal team that handled several capital market issues for Crusader Insurance in the areas of Rights, Public Offers, Debentures and the last was Crusader Nigeria Plc Rights Issue of N2,260,304,200 Zero Coupon Unsecured Subordinated Irredeemable Convertible Debenture Stock 2011.
-Whilst in the employment of Nal Merchant Bank Limited (now Sterling Bank Plc) and Rims Merchant Bank Limited he was actively involved in a lot of transactions undertaken by the banks ranging from capital market to money market issues including syndicated loan and equipment leasing documentations and the preparation and perfection of various forms of collaterals for bank lending such as Debentures, Charges, Mortgages, Hypothecations, Trust Receipts, Pledges. Bill of Sales and various types of personal securities like Guarantees, Bonds, Indemnities and Comfort letters.
-Whilst in the banking sector he was a member of the loan recovery committees and participated actively in formulating strategies for recovery of bad loans in respect of which significant successes were achieved.
-Member of the team that implemented the requirements of SEC’s and NAICOM’s Codes of Corporate Governance issued to the public and insurance sector.
-Part of the team that reviewed the financing documentation of shipping and aircraft financing by Keystone Bank Plc.

Publications
Mr Ehigiato Omorodion Emwanta has a number of publications to his credit some of which are
highlighted below:

1. The Right to Housing and Government Housing Policy in Nigeria- Modern Practice
Journal of Finance & Investment Law (MPJFIL), Vol. 8. 2004.2. The Legal Nature of Comfort Letters – Modern Practice Journal of Finance & Investment Law (MPJFIL) Vol. 9 2005.
3. The Innovations in the Insurance Act of 2003- Modern Practice Journal of Finance & Investment Law (MPJFIL) Vol. 9 2005.
4. The Efficacy of Pledge of Chattels as Security Instruments – Modern Practice Journal of Finance & Investment Law (MPJFIL) 2006.
5. Mandatory Incorporation of Foreign Companies in Nigeria: Some Legal Considerations published in the Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law, March 2015 (Vol.6 No.1)
6. The Legal Nature of Bonds in Commercial Transactions in Nigeria (co-authored) published in the Without Prejudice, a South African Law Journal, February 2015
7. Financing options in the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria(co-authored),published in the international Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law, Vol 33,N03 ,2015, 218-240 (Published by Routledge Taylor & Francis Group in partnership with the International Bar Association)
8. A Comparative Review of the Environmental Liability of Parent Companies for the Acts of their Foreign Subsidiaries published in the Gravitas Review of Business & Property Law, September 2015(Vol.6 No.3)
9. A Review of the Legal Nature of Equipment Leasing in Nigeria published in the Gravitas Review of Business & Property Law, June 2017 (Vol .8.No.2)
10. The Law of Credit & Security (Text Book –ISBN 978-979-979-684-3) – 2008, reprinted in 2010 and 2013
11. The Law and Practice of Equipment Leasing in Nigeria(Text Book- ISBN978-979-979-684-3)- 2017