Senior Energy Lawyer and Country Lead, Nigeria
Law for Energy Transitions Africa
Nigeria (Remote)
Closing Date:
Monday, 16 November 2026
Open
About the Organisation
Law for Energy Transitions Africa (LETA) is a pan-African initiative that provides technical legal input to shape laws, policies and decisions that advance just transitions to equitable renewable energy power systems across Africa, while strengthening civil society participation so that reforms reflect local contexts and deliver access, affordability, environmental protection and public benefit.
LETA works at the intersection of energy law, public interest advocacy, and civil society capacity building. Its focus is on power sector legal reform: helping to improve the laws, regulatory frameworks, planning processes, procurement systems, and public participation mechanisms that will determine whether African electricity systems become more renewable, affordable, transparent, and just.
About the Job
LETA is seeking to appoint a senior Nigeria-based lawyer with strong expertise in energy law, power sector regulation, and public interest legal advocacy. The lawyer will play a leading role in supporting and growing LETA’s work in Nigeria and, where relevant, contributing to LETA’s regional work in West Africa, including cross-border electricity markets and regional power pool arrangements such as the West African Power Pool (WAPP).
This is a senior leadership role. The lawyer will set and drive LETA’s legal and advocacy strategy in Nigeria, take the country programme forward as it grows, and guide and supervise other lawyers and consultants contributing to the work. Working closely with civil society partners, technical experts, and public institutions, they will help shape legal and regulatory frameworks that enable equitable renewable energy development, strengthen transparency and participation, and safeguard the public interest.
This is an opportunity to help shape LETA's strategy and impact in Nigeria and the region as the organisation grows. As LETA's work develops, the lawyer may also be asked to help build LETA's broader engagement across West Africa, including with regional institutions and power pools. This regional programme is in its early stages, and there is scope for the right person to help shape it.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Leadership
Develop, drive and periodically review LETA’s legal and advocacy strategy for Nigeria’s power sector, and take the country programme forward as it grows.
Act as LETA’s senior legal lead in Nigeria, representing the organisation with civil society partners, government, regulators, and funders.
Supervise, mentor, and coordinate other lawyers, consultants, and technical experts contributing to the work in Nigeria.
Build LETA’s presence and, over time, its legal team and institutional growth in Nigeria.
Legal and Policy Analysis
Monitor, analyse, and report on developments in Nigeria's electricity sector laws, regulations, policies, institutions, and reform processes.
Interpret statutory and regulatory developments affecting electricity planning, market structure, transmission, procurement, and renewable energy deployment.
Identify legal risks, gaps, and opportunities for public-interest intervention at federal and state level.
Track and analyse regional electricity market developments in West Africa, including the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and relevant ECOWAS energy frameworks, and their implications for Nigeria’s power sector.
Advocacy and Legal Engagement
Build collaborative networks and work closely with civil society partners to develop legal and advocacy strategies on power sector reform and renewable energy governance.
Draft comments on relevant draft laws and policies and submissions on necessary law reforms.
Draft explanatory notes and memoranda for stakeholders.
Engage technical experts and oversee technical expert reports.
Support strategic litigation where appropriate.
Partnerships and Capacity Building
Support legal and policy engagement with government institutions, legislatures, regulators, utilities, and other decision-makers.
Contribute to the design and implementation of workshops, trainings, convenings, and other capacity-building activities for civil society partners.
Attend and present at key national, regional and continental CSO meetings and platforms.
Institutional Strengthening
Assist with donor-related deliverables and internal reporting, where relevant to the senior lawyer’s work.
Contribute to communications outputs where relevant, including short explainers, blogs, public statements, or opinion pieces.
Work collaboratively with LETA's core legal team and contribute to wider strategic thinking, planning, and relationship-building across the initiative.
Requirements
Bachelor of Laws degree. A post-graduate degree in energy policy, energy transition or a related field is desirable.
A minimum of eight years of relevant expertise in energy law, electricity regulation, or closely related areas of public law and governance.
Experience working on electricity market reform, sub-national electricity regulation, public participation, infrastructure governance, or strategic litigation.
Strong knowledge of Nigeria's legal system, institutional arrangements, and electricity sector governance.
A good understanding of current and emerging electricity sector reforms in Nigeria, including issues affecting renewable energy, power markets, planning, procurement, and regulation.
Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
Strong oral communication skills and the ability to explain complex legal and technical issues clearly to non-specialist audiences.
Experience working with civil society organisations, communities, public interest networks, or reform-focused institutions.
Experience engaging with technical experts or interdisciplinary teams.
Ability to work independently, manage multiple workstreams, and exercise sound professional judgment.
Demonstrated leadership, with experience setting strategy independently and supervising or mentoring lawyers or multidisciplinary teams.
Ability and willingness to travel within Nigeria and internationally where required.
Professional fluency in English; additional regional language capability may be an advantage.
Experience working across multiple African countries or with regional institutions is desirable; familiarity with regional power markets or cross-border electricity arrangements in West Africa (such as the West African Power Pool) is an advantage.
Please note: This is a fulltime position. The initial contract term will be for a minimum of one year. LETA's intention is to retain the lawyer for a longer period, subject to satisfactory performance, organisational needs, and the availability of funding.
The Senior Lawyer & Country Lead will report to the LETA Co-Convenors / Executive Director and will work closely with LETA's core legal team and partner organisations. The successful candidate is expected to be based in Nigeria.
To apply
To apply, email your application by Monday 16 November 2026 to callum@actionappointments.co.za
