Legal Officer - Startups and Tech Law

About the role

Nexply Compliance is a licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation (DPCO) that helps fintechs, payment companies and digital asset businesses get licensed and stay compliant. It handles both legal and compliance work for clients in Nigeria and Canada, from company structuring and licensing to data protection, AML/CFT and tax. The Legal Officer is the legal backbone of the client work, drafting and reviewing documents needed to raise money, get licensed and stay compliant, and works directly with founders and regulators.

Key responsibilities

• Handle corporate structuring and CAC governance, including board constitutions, director and shareholder changes, board resolutions and statutory filings
• Draft and review founder share documentation, share issuances, cap table cleanups and registers of directors and shareholders
• Draft employee stock option agreements and support the setup of ESOP plans
• Support fundraising by preparing investor data rooms, reviewing term sheets and handling legal due diligence for pre-seed and seed rounds
• Advise on group structures for companies with entities in Nigeria, the US/Delaware, Canada, Kenya and others
• Prepare and manage licence applications with CBN (PSSP, IMTO, Finance House, MFB) and SEC Nigeria (VASP), and support foreign licensing such as FINTRAC MSB and Bank of Canada PSP registration
• Act as a point of contact with regulators and follow up on applications until approval
• Draft and review AML/CFT, KYC/KYB and data protection policies; support NDPC data protection compliance, NFIU goAML registration and tax registration with NRS
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts, service agreements, engagement letters, partnership agreements, NDAs and data processing agreements
• Translate laws and regulations into practical advice, track regulatory changes, support audits and investigations, and keep accurate legal records

Required profile

• LL.B and called to the Nigerian Bar
• Minimum of 5 years post-call experience with startups, fintechs or tech companies (in-house, at a law firm or in a compliance firm)
• Solid knowledge of CAMA 2020, CAC processes and Nigerian corporate governance
• Experience with startup financing documents such as SAFEs, term sheets, shareholder agreements and stock options
• Ability to explain complex legal issues in plain language and to manage several client matters at once

Required skills

• Strong drafting skills for clean contracts, resolutions, policies and regulatory submissions
• Working knowledge of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, GDPR and data protection compliance
• Good understanding of the Nigerian fintech and digital asset regulatory space, including CBN and SEC frameworks and AML/CFT requirements

Nice to have

• Postgraduate degree or certification in commercial, technology, regulatory or data protection law
• Data protection certification (CIPP/E, CIPM, NDPC-recognised) or AML/CFT certification (CAMS, ICA)
• Experience with US (Delaware) corporate documents or Canadian regulatory filings, and with crypto, stablecoin or virtual asset businesses