01
Market entry and establishment
Advising on entry structures, establishment options, approvals and the legal steps required to begin operating.
Practice Areas
International Trade &Cross-Border Investment
Entering a market, not just a transaction
Investing or trading across borders raises questions about structure, control, capital and counterparty risk long before documents are signed.
Our trade & investment practice
Supporting investment into and out of Nigeria.
Paraphoenix Solicitors advises foreign investors entering the Nigerian market, Nigerian businesses investing or trading abroad, and parties to international commercial arrangements.
This is a substantive legal practice covering foreign investment, market entry, international transactions and trade. It is distinct from the way the firm delivers and coordinates international matters, which is described separately under International & Cross-Border.
Our role is to help clients establish a workable structure, understand the legal environment they are entering, document their arrangements clearly and anticipate the issues that most often arise between parties in different jurisdictions.
Key capabilities
What we advise on
02
Foreign investment structuring
Advising on investment structures, shareholding arrangements, investor protections and the treatment of capital.
03
International joint ventures
Structuring and documenting joint ventures with foreign partners, including governance, funding, deadlock and exit.
04
Cross-border commercial arrangements
Advising on international supply, distribution, agency, licensing and services arrangements.
05
Trade documentation and terms
Advising on international sale terms, delivery and risk allocation, payment mechanisms and related documentation.
06
Local content and participation requirements
Advising on participation and local content considerations that affect how a foreign investor structures its presence.
07
Exit, repatriation and restructuring
Advising on exit routes, restructuring of cross-border holdings and the legal considerations affecting repatriation.
08
Dispute-sensitive drafting
Advising on governing law, jurisdiction and dispute resolution provisions appropriate to cross-border arrangements.
How we support cross-border work
From market assessment to operation
- 01
Orientation
Establishing the client's commercial objective and the legal environment relevant to the proposed activity.
- 02
Structure
Identifying the entry, investment or trading structure and the approvals and steps it requires.
- 03
Document
Preparing and negotiating the transaction and commercial documents, including cross-border protections.
- 04
Establish
Managing the practical steps required to establish presence or complete the transaction.
- 05
Operate
Supporting the client's ongoing legal requirements, contracts and governance in the market.
Cross-border risk
Terms that anticipate distance
Cross-border arrangements place distance between the parties — legally, commercially and practically.
We give particular attention to the provisions that determine what happens when something goes wrong at a distance: governing law, jurisdiction, dispute resolution, payment security, delivery risk, currency and termination.
Clear drafting on these points is usually the difference between a manageable problem and an unrecoverable one.
Selected trade and investment capabilities
- Entry structure and establishment advice
- Shareholder and investment agreements
- International distribution and agency arrangements
- Sale of goods and delivery terms
- Payment, security and credit-support mechanisms
- Governing law and jurisdiction provisions
- Dispute resolution clause design
- Exit and restructuring arrangements
How we deliver international work
A relationship-led international approach
Paraphoenix is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Our international capability is relationship-led: we act as the central legal point for Nigerian aspects of a cross-border matter and, where appropriate, work with carefully selected independent local counsel and professional advisers in other jurisdictions.
Our international perspective is informed by substantial experience working within multinational business environments and on matters involving stakeholders across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
Sector perspective
Our trade and investment work supports clients across sectors where foreign capital, international supply chains and regulated market entry intersect.
Related perspective
Practical perspectives on the legal and commercial developments affecting business in Nigeria and across borders.
Integrated support
Bringing the relevant disciplines together
Mandates in this practice frequently engage other areas of law. Depending on the matter, our International Trade & Cross-Border Investment practice works alongside the firm’s other practices so that clients receive a coherent view of the issue rather than fragmented advice.
Why Paraphoenix
Commercial perspective
We advise with an understanding of what an investor or trader actually needs in order to proceed.
Senior involvement
Important mandates receive close senior attention, supporting continuity and efficient decision-making.
International experience
Our experience of multinational environments informs our approach to cross-border investment and trade.
Clear execution
We emphasise practical recommendations, careful drafting and responsive communication across time zones.