Parsons’ Founder Gabriel Onagoruwa to Change the Face of Africa’s Financing and Energy Transactions
When Dr Gabriel Onagoruwa speaks about Africa, he does so with both conviction and clarity. He believes Africa is not an emerging market waiting to be discovered but already a core part of the global economy.
“The abundant natural resources, youthful population and growing geopolitical influence place it at the heart of global trade, energy and finance,” he told LegalEra.
Now, as a founding partner of Parsons, an Africa-focused global law firm with offices in London, the UAE and Nigeria, Onagoruwa is building a platform to reflect this reality.
With a career spanning White & Case LLP in London and his most recent role as Global Finance Chair at Olaniwun Ajayi (UK) LLP, Onagoruwa brings both institutional pedigree and a deeply pan-African vision to the firm.
“The strategic importance of Africa to the global economy cannot be overstated given its vast natural and human resources,” he says. “In today’s rapidly shifting landscape, marked by decarbonisation, supply chain reconfiguration, technological advancement, and population growth; Africa’s centrality is becoming even more pronounced.”
A career inspired by legacy
For Onagoruwa, law was never just a profession; it was a calling. He graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, before completing a PhD in law at the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar.
His inspiration came from his late uncle, Olusoga Onagoruwa, GCON, SAN, a celebrated human rights activist and former Attorney General of Nigeria.
“He inspired me to see law not just as a career but as a tool to transform societies and unlock opportunities,” Onagoruwa reflects.
Building a different kind of firm
Parsons was founded on a clear belief: to create a platform capable of handling African transactions with international-level expertise, while applying in-depth local knowledge and nuance.
The firm’s initial footprint, spanning London, the UAE and Nigeria, was designed to serve as a bridge between Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The strategy is already future-facing. Plans are underway to expand into other African jurisdictions, reflecting Parsons’ ambition to grow into a truly pan-African law firm with global reach, according to the founding partner.
“We’ve assembled a team that understands high-stakes transactions and brings valuable local insight across key global markets,” Onagoruwa explains. “That combination is what Africa needs and what the world increasingly requires.”
Unlocking Africa’s financing future
One of the most urgent opportunities Onagoruwa sees lies in Africa’s financing and energy infrastructure gap. He estimated that over $100 billion is required annually on structuring deals that align government priorities, regulatory frameworks, and private capital appetite.
“The problem is rarely about a lack of opportunity, but rather a lack of bankability and legal certainty,” he notes. His experience working on landmark deals involving the IFC, Afreximbank, AfDB and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has equipped him with the tools to address precisely that challenge.
At Parsons, the vision is to embed institutional-grade rigour with private-sector dynamism and a blend that will make African transactions more attractive to global investors while ensuring they deliver lasting value on the ground.
Africa at the centre of global change
But Onagoruwa’s optimism extends beyond energy and finance. He sees Africa’s demographic growth, technological rise, agricultural potential, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as signals of a continent taking its rightful place at the centre of the global economy.
“AfCFTA shows Africa’s intent to be a rules-setting player in global trade, rather than a passive participant,” he says. “Parsons was built for this moment—to be a trusted legal partner for governments, corporates and investors who are shaping Africa’s integration into the global economy.”
Few lawyers combine Onagoruwa’s academic credentials, career experience and personal heritage but perhaps what defines him most is his conviction that Africa-related transactions must be matched by firms capable of matching global standards without losing sight of local realities.
As Parsons sets its sights on further African expansion, Onagoruwa is clear about his mission: “We want to be the firm that unlocks Africa’s potential by ensuring its transactions are structured, bankable and future-proof,” he says. “That’s how we change the face of financing and energy in Africa, and how we can position the continent where it belongs: at the centre of the global economy.”
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