Asue Ighodalo is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He is from Okaigben, Ewohimi, Esan South East LGA in Edo State, Nigeria. He ran in the 2024 Edo State governorship election. He and Femi Olubanwo are founding partners of the Nigerian corporate and commercial law firm Banwo-and-Ighodalo, which specialises in advising major corporations on Corporate Finance, Capital Markets, Energy & Natural Resources, Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Securitisation, and Project Finance.

He served as chairman of Sterling Bank, director of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), and chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

Asue Ighodalo Biography

Asue Ighodalo, a prominent Nigerian lawyer, was born on July 19, 1959, in Okaigben, Ewohimi, Esan South East LG, Edo State, Nigeria. His father, Jeremiah Ighodalo, made history as the first Ewohinmi to graduate secondary school and earn an accounting degree in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, his mother, Folayegbe Akintunde-Ighodalo, made history as the first Nigerian woman to be appointed Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service (Western Region). Notably, Asue Ighodalo is the elder brother of Trinity House’s Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.

Asue Ighodalo began his schooling at King’s College in Lagos, and he later earned a B.Sc degree in Economics from the University of Ibadan in 1981. He then continued his education, getting an LL.B from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1984 and a B.L from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos in 1985.

With his considerable education and experience, Ighodalo has established himself as a highly respected and competent specialist in his disciplines.

Career

Asue Ighodalo isn’t your average lawyer. This Nigerian legal hawk has made a name for himself in the fields of capital markets, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. His career began at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos, where he worked as an Associate at Chris Ogunbanjo & Co. before partnering with Femi Olubanwo to form the famed Banwo & Ighodalo law firm. Today, it is a Nigerian powerhouse, particularly in the capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.

But there’s more to Asue than that. His legal expertise spans a wide range of areas, from corporate finance to energy and natural resources. He’s the go-to guy for major financial transactions, such as managing significant Eurobond issuances for Zenith Bank and Diamond Bank. It’s no surprise that huge firms trust him fully.

On February 22, 2024, Ighodalo was announced as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Edo State governorship. However, a Federal High Court in Abuja declared the election null and void on the grounds that 378 delegates scheduled to vote in the primary election were unjustly deprived their voting rights.

The Federal High Court in Abuja supported his candidature, confirming Ighodalo as the validly nominated governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo State and dismissing the complaint challenging his nomination. He lost the race to the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, but has challenged the results in court on the grounds of noncompliance with the Electoral Act.

Ighodalo has delivered multiple papers on capital market concerns both in and outside of Nigeria, as well as numerous articles in important legal periodicals. He occasionally gives lectures on corporate governance, directors’ duties and responsibilities, and entrepreneurship at the Institute of Directors, Lagos Business School, and FATE Foundation entrepreneurial training events.

Asue Ighodalo served as the Chairman of the Boards of Directors for Sterling Bank Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc, and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. He has also served on the boards of several public and private companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and statutory bodies, including Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), and the FATE Foundation.

Personal Life

Ighodalo is married to Ifeyinwa, and the couple has two children, Omoehi and Ayomide. He is the elder brother of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the senior pastor of Trinity House in Lagos.

Asue Ighodalo Net Worth

Asue Ighodalo is a wealthy Nigerian lawyer and businessman worth an estimated $5 million. He has established a successful legal profession and made savvy investments in a variety of businesses, boosting his fortune.

Social Media

• X: @Aighodalo