Technology &Digital Business

Software and cloud services are increasingly central to business operations, but their contractual models can differ significantly from traditional procurement.

We support customers, providers and other stakeholders on licensing and subscription structures, implementation, integration, service levels, support, updates and upgrades, intellectual-property rights, data, security, subcontracting, audit, business continuity, liability, termination and exit.

For cloud arrangements, we pay particular attention to operational dependency, data and security responsibilities, resilience, migration and the practical ability to transition services at the end of the relationship.

Technology transformation programmes often combine software, infrastructure, implementation services, systems integration, data migration, business-process change and ongoing managed services.

The legal structure should reflect the programme's actual dependencies. Scope, governance, milestones, acceptance, change control, customer responsibilities, third-party interfaces, service transition, remedies and exit need to work together.

Working with our Projects, Infrastructure & Construction and Corporate, Commercial & M&A practices where appropriate, we support the commercial architecture and contracting required to move technology programmes from procurement through implementation and operation.

Data can be both a commercial asset and a source of significant legal and operational risk.

We advise on contractual and governance issues relating to collection, use, sharing, analytics, data-processing relationships, cross-border transfers, commercialisation, access, retention and security.

Nigeria's data-protection regime is anchored in the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and is operationalised through current Nigeria Data Protection Commission guidance. The applicable obligations depend on the processing activity, roles, risk and context, and should be assessed for the particular business model.

Cyber risk is not solely a technical issue. It affects contracts, governance, regulatory exposure, operational continuity, customer relationships and incident response.

We support clients on contractual security requirements, supplier and subcontractor risk, incident notification and cooperation, audit rights, resilience, continuity, remediation, liability and governance.

Paraphoenix does not provide penetration testing, security engineering, managed cybersecurity, digital forensics or technical incident-response services. We work alongside appropriately qualified technical specialists where those services are required.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being incorporated into software, customer services, decision-making, analytics and operational processes.

Nigeria's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy provides an evolving policy framework for responsible AI development and adoption. At the same time, existing laws governing data protection, intellectual property, consumer relationships, sector regulation, contracting and accountability may apply to AI-enabled business models.

We advise on the commercial and legal aspects of procuring, deploying and commercialising AI-enabled systems, including contractual allocation of responsibility, data use, intellectual property, confidentiality, governance, transparency, human oversight, supplier risk and exit.

We do not treat 'AI law' as a fixed or self-contained body of rules. The relevant analysis depends on the technology, use case, data, affected persons, sector and applicable legal framework.

Platforms and digital marketplaces can connect customers, suppliers, service providers, payment providers and other participants through a single technology environment.

We support the commercial and legal architecture of these models, including platform terms, business-to-business arrangements, customer interfaces, third-party roles, data, intellectual property, payments interfaces, consumer issues, compliance, liability and dispute management.

Where the model involves regulated payments, financial services, telecommunications or another licensed activity, the relevant regulatory perimeter should be assessed separately.

Outsourcing and managed-service arrangements can transfer significant operational responsibility to technology and service providers.

We advise on scope, service levels, governance, pricing and change, transformation, data, cybersecurity, audit, subcontracting, continuity, benchmarking interfaces, intellectual property, liability, termination and exit.

We focus particularly on transition and exit because the legal value of an outsourcing arrangement depends not only on how services begin, but also on how they can be changed, recovered or transferred when circumstances evolve.

Technology businesses may raise capital, acquire or dispose of businesses and assets, enter joint ventures, license technology, form strategic partnerships or expand into new markets.

We support the corporate and commercial aspects of these transactions, including structuring, due diligence, investment and shareholder arrangements, technology and intellectual-property issues, key contracts, data and compliance interfaces and implementation.

Where specialist patent prosecution, trade-mark filing, technical IP valuation, tax or foreign-law advice is required, we coordinate with carefully selected independent local counsel and professional advisers.