General Counsel (Legal, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs)

General Counsel (Legal, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs) Location: Lagos

About This Role

• You will be Carbon's most senior legal and regulatory voice: the person the CEO calls before a big decision, the person the CBN knows by name, and the person product teams want in the room early rather than dread seeing late.
• You will lead legal, compliance and regulatory affairs across the bank, turn complex regulation into clear commercial paths, and build a function that protects Carbon while helping it move fast.
• You say "yes, and here's how" far more often than "no", and when the answer really is no, you arrive with an alternative.

Responsibilities

Strategic legal counsel:

• Advise the CEO, ExCo and Board on strategy, new products, partnerships, capital and M&A.
• Provide legal and regulatory support to other Carbon group companies, including cross-border matters, intra-group arrangements and group entity governance
• Structure novel deals and products so they are compliant, commercial and defensible.

Compliance leadership:

• Own the AML/CFT/CPF, KYC, sanctions, consumer protection and data protection frameworks.
• Keep compliance risk-based, data-driven and embedded in product and engineering workflows. Regulatory engagement:
• Be Carbon's lead relationship-holder with the CBN, NFIU, FCCPC, NDPC, and other regulators.
• Lead examinations, approvals, licence matters and sensitive correspondence with credibility and calm.
• Anticipate regulatory change and shape our response before it lands, not after.

Corporate governance:

• Ensure Board and committee governance meets CBN and FRC corporate governance requirements and best practice.
• Act as Company Secretary on Board papers, resolutions and regulatory filings. Disputes & enforcement:
• Manage litigation, arbitration, law enforcement requests and regulatory investigations.
• Direct and get value from external counsel, locally and internationally.

Contracting & Contract Management:

• Draft, negotiate and sign off commercial agreements with third parties including partners, vendors, investors and service providers, quickly and on terms that protect Carbon.
• Run a central contract repository with clear ownership, renewal and obligation monitoring.
• Standardise templates and workflows so routine contracts close in days, not weeks

Team & culture:

• Lead, grow and mentor a high-performing legal and compliance team.
• Build templates, playbooks and tooling (including AI) that make turnaround fast and consistent.

Requirements

• LL.B and B.L; called to the Nigerian Bar with a minimum of 10 years' post-call experience.
• Substantial experience in financial services, with meaningful exposure to fintech, digital lending, payments or digital banking.
• A track record of direct, senior-level engagement with the CBN and other financial regulators.
• Deep knowledge of CBN regulations, BOFIA 2020, the MLPPA 2022, the NDPA 2023, the FCCPA and consumer lending rules.
• Experience leading a legal and/or compliance team.
• Fit and proper, and able to meet any CBN approval requirements for the role

Nice to Have:

• Previous General Counsel, Head of Legal or Chief Compliance Officer role in a bank, MFB, PSB or licensed fintech. CAMS, or equivalent compliance certification.
• Experience with capital raises, M&A or cross-border transactions.
• A master's degree (LL.M)
• Comfort with technology and curiosity about AI, data and automation in legal and compliance work.

Application Closing Date

Not Specified.