Michael Uwaechie
PRINCIPAL PARTNER
Michael Uwaechie is the Principal Partner of Ivy Crest Solicitors and a dual-qualified lawyer licensed to practise in Nigeria and the State of New York, with 19 years’ post-call experience. He leads the Firm’s corporate, banking, project finance and infrastructure advisory practice, and is widely recognised for his work at the intersection of law, multilateralism, public policy and large-scale investment.
Michael is a World Bank/APMG-certified Public-Private Partnership Professional (CP3P) and an accredited CP3P Trainer across all three certification levels. He has advised on complex commercial and infrastructure transactions across Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, bringing a distinctly global perspective to local project delivery.
He holds a Master’s degree in Banking, Corporate and Finance Law from Fordham University School of Law, New York, where he graduated top of his class and was awarded a Fellowship. During this Fellowship, he developed and lectured a specialist course on Public-Private Partnerships in Anglo- Africa, examining comparative PPP governance and financing frameworks.
Michael previously served as an expert-level member of the United Nations General Assembly’s Economic and Finance Committee, advising on macro- economic policy, sovereign debt sustainability, banking reforms and financing for development. He currently serves as the Roads Thematic Lead of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s Infrastructure and Allied Services Policy Commission. His practice is defined by clarity of thought, commercial realism and a deep appreciation of risk, bankability and long-term value creation
Uwadiale Onobun
MANAGING PARTNER
Uwadiale is the Managing Partner of IVY Crest’s Lagos Office and currently oversees the firms general practice. He is a resourceful Attorney with core competencies in FINTECH, privacy law, syndicated finance practice, and litigation. Uwadiale has a wide-ranging legal experience spanning over 18 years, over Which period he had worked with law firms with international practices, where he provided legal advisory services to public authorities as well as multinational businesses including in dispute resolution, mergers & acquisition and transaction advisory In his capacity, routinely provides legal advice to clients for various phases of their operations – incorporating investment vehicles; raising capital – including syndicated credit facilities; project finance and secured lending; equity/debt investments; corporate governance issues; merger/acquisition transactions; and corporate restructuring. He equally advises dients on appropriate transaction structures to ensure regulatory compliance. Uwadiale is a graduate of University of Benin and has been called to the Nigerian bar. He is a member of FINTECH Association of Nigeria as well as member of the Compliance Institute of Nigeria
Hakeem Ayantayo
Hakeem Ayantayo is a dual-qualified lawyer admitted to practise in Nigeria and in England and Wales, with close to two decades of post-qualification experience as a solicitor and advocate. He holds a Master’s degree in International Law and World Economy and has developed deep expertise in anti-money laundering (AML), regulatory compliance, foreign direct investment and commercial contracting.
Hakeem has advised on high-profile matters involving asset tracing, seizure and recovery, and has significant experience navigating cross-border regulatory regimes. He is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and has built a strong practice in data protection and privacy law, advising clients on compliance obligations in both developed and emerging regulatory environments.
His practice is marked by rigour, discretion and a strong appreciation of regulatory risk in complex, crossborder transactions.
Pius Omene
Pius Omene is a seasoned legal practitioner licensed to practise in Nigeria and Canada, with extensive experience in corporate and commercial law, litigation, trust and estate planning, and immigration advisory. He leads Ivy Crest’s Trust & Estate Planning and Immigration Practices.
Pius holds multiple professional designations, including Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP), Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) and Master Financial Advisor – Philanthropy (MFA-P™). He regularly advises high net-worth individuals and families on estate structuring, probate, wealth preservation and succession planning, while also supporting corporate clients with governance, compliance and commercial documentation.
His work is distinguished by empathy, precision and an unwavering commitment to bespoke clientsolutions across jurisdictions.
Frank Ebode
ASSOCIATE
Frank Ebode is a highly analytical Associate based in Ivy Crest’s Abuja Office, with strengths in legal research, corporate documentation and transaction support. He graduated with Second Class Honours (Upper Division) from Adekunle Ajasin University and the Nigerian Law School, Abuja.
In addition to his legal training, Frank holds professional certifications in project management, customer relations and human resource management. He brings valuable ICT and information management skills to the Firm, supporting legal delivery through technology, design and structured communication.
Frank is deeply committed to community service and leadership development, qualities that inform his disciplined and solution driven approach to legal practice.
Abubakar Ishaq
ASSOCIATE
Abubakar Ishaq is an Associate in Ivy Crest Solicitors’ Abuja Office, with an expanding practice spanning corporate and commercial structuring, public-private partnership (PPP) advisory, regulatory compliance and complex transaction support. His work increasingly sits at the intersection of legal structuring, commercial logic and institutional risk management.
Abubakar holds an LL.B. from Ahmadu Bello University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2022. He is also a World Bank/APMG-certified Public-Private Partnership Professional (CP3P-F), providing him with a strong grounding in PPP project preparation, risk allocation, fiscal considerations and the respective roles of contracting authorities, sponsors and lenders.
In practice, Abubakar supports sponsors, public institutions and transaction teams on corporate structuring, joint venture arrangements, contract drafting and regulatory analysis, with particular exposure to infrastructure-related projects and structured commercial transactions. He is adept at breaking down complex financial and legal concepts into clear, workable legal positions that support decision-making and project progress.
Abubakar is known for his analytical discipline, strong research capability and collaborative working style. He brings intellectual curiosity, commercial awareness and quiet confidence to his engagements, and is steadily developing a reputation as a dependable transaction-oriented lawyer within the Firm.
Queensike Mamman Mackson
ASSOCIATE
Queensike Mamman Mackson is an Associate in Ivy Crest Solicitors’ Abuja Office, with a growing practice focused on corporate and commercial advisory, public-private partnership (PPP) support, and regulatory compliance. She combines strong analytical capability with a disciplined, solutions-oriented approach to legal problem-solving.
Queensike holds an LL.B. from the American University of Nigeria, graduating with University Honours, and has successfully completed her professional training at the Nigerian Law School. She is also a World Bank/APMG-certified Public-Private Partnership Professional (CP3P-F), equipping her with a solid foundation in PPP project preparation, risk allocation, institutional roles and transaction processes.
In practice, she supports transaction teams through legal research, contract drafting, regulatory analysis and project documentation, with particular interest in infrastructure, PPPs and structured commercial arrangements. She is valued for her clarity of thought, attention to detail and strong work ethic.
Beyond legal practice, Queensike is passionate about leadership development and youth empowerment. She leads Light Forge, a mentorship initiative dedicated to guiding emerging leaders, and is also an accomplished public speaker with strong communication skills that enhance her effectiveness in both advisory and client-facing roles.
Mary Yaga
LEGAL INTERN
Mary Yaga is a Legal Intern in Ivy Crest’s Abuja Office and a graduate of the American University of Nigeria, where she obtained her LL.B. with honours. She brings resilience, focus and a strong sense of purpose to her legal training.
Mary supports the Firm’s lawyers through legal research, drafting and advocacy support, with particular interest in human rights and social justice initiatives. Her commitment to excellence and service is a defining feature of her professional development.
Aliyu Akawu
LEGAL INTERN
Aliyu Akawu is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained a degree in Civil Law and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Creative Writers’ Club from 2019 to 2024. He is currently an Associate at Ivy Crest Solicitors, contributing to high-level legal advisory and transactional work.
Passionate about the intersection of law, technology, public policy and social development, he is a 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Fellow in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning track, and a United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN) Youth Advocate, collaborating with other change-makers to advance a more equitable and sustainable world. He also Volunteers for the Roads Thematic Group of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), contributing to the national development discourse by engaging in policy- focused reform initiatives.
Our Administrative Team
Esther Ekanem
Esther Ekanem coordinates and oversees Ivy Crest Solicitors’ administrative operations. With over a decade of experience supporting senior executives and professional services teams, she brings structure, discretion and sound judgement to the Firm’s Day to day management.
Esther holds a degree in Biochemistry and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria. Her experience spans human resource coordination, executive support, office management and process optimisation. She is widely valued for her professionalism, attention to detail and steady leadership