Lead Counsel, Lands & Claims at Nigeria LNG

Tasks

• To provide governance and accountability in the strategic management of NLNG’s land assets, to ensure efficiency and coordination in their acquisition, identification, documentation, and utilization.
• To coordinate legal support in all matters pertaining to compensation as relates to land and infrastructure and other improvements thereon.

Main Accountabilities

• Develop and implement a framework for the management of NLNG’s land assets, clearly identifying and delineating the respective roles, responsibilities and interfaces of relevant Business Units involved in the process, with a view to entrenching an efficient and coordinated corporate land administration system for the Company.
• Undertake custody of the NLNG land master plan and title documents, and ensure proper documentation of NLNG’s land assets, e.g., plant site, residential area, Corporate Head Office site, GTS Right of Way, etc., with a view to creating a corporate land register that will clearly identify/define the said assets and guarantee their effective safeguard.
• Drive negotiations relating to acquisition or lease of land or landed property by NLNG, and ensure utilization of sustainable opportunities to achieve for NLNG, favourable close out and outcomes in such negotiations, e.g., land acquisition negotiations for expansion initiatives like Train 7, buffer zones for the GTS/ Node Junctions, pipeline Right of Way, additional land for corporate projects, Abuja Office lease, London Office lease, Lagos office lease, etc.
• Coordinate legal searches at land registries and other appropriate institutions; perform due diligence checks on land and relevant titles/documentation as may be required by NLNG and undertake perfection of NLNG’s title and other interests over land and land-based assets, to always ensure adequate protection of NLNG’s said interests.
• Coordinate legal services for NLNG’s community stakeholder engagement as pertains to its existing and future land assets/requirements, especially in the areas of enumeration, compensation and related claims, resettlement issues, etc., with a view to processing, resolving, and bringing closure to any such claims without adverse impact on NLNG’s operations.
• Provide advice and guidance on policies related to land use, planning, development, control, and administration, and ensure smooth interface with regulators over NLNG’s land assets, to ensure compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate and manage all issues pertaining to compliance with legal covenants as may be contained in NLNG’s title documents, such as the computation and payment of ground rents, tenement rates, property taxes (where applicable), and provide support in the development and administration of the contractual framework for the maintenance of surveillance and provision of services relating to the pipeline Right of Way and related assets.
• Manage the relationship and interface between NLNG and third-party service providers regarding the acquisition, administration, and management of its land assets, e.g., surveyors, valuers, external solicitors, etc., to ensure single point accountability for all land related transactions with such service provider.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL. B, B. L) at Second Class Lower Division (2.2) and above.
• Minimum of 5 years post-Call to Bar work experience, out of which at least 3 years should have been spent in active litigation in a reputable law firm or as counsel in a legal function in an oil and gas organization.