Tochukwu Onyiuke, SAN is one of Nigeria’s most distinguished commercial litigators and a thought leader in technology, cyber and data protection law. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2001 after graduating from the University of Jos, he subsequently obtained a Master of Science degree in Financial Management from Middlesex University Business School, London. He served his early years as a lawyer at the highly respected firm of Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, Lagos, under the leadership of Dr. Anthony Idigbe, SAN.

In 2011, he co-founded Accendolaw Barristers & Solicitors, and in 2024 elevated the practice to Accendolaw Partners LP. He serves as the firm’s Head of Dispute Resolution. In 2017 he was appointed Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in 2023 in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the development of law in Nigeria he was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the highest distinction in the Nigerian legal profession, equivalent to King’s Counsel in the United Kingdom.

Areas of Practice

  • Dispute Resolution, Litigation & Appellate Advocacy (Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal High Court)
  • Insolvency, Business Recovery & Corporate Restructuring
  • AI Law, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT)
  • Data Protection & Privacy Law
  • Intellectual Property (Trademarks, Cybersquatting, IP Litigation)
  • Capital Markets & Project Finance
  • Labour & Employment Law
  • Maritime Law
  • Arbitration

Notable Cases

  • Pillars Nigeria Limited v. Desbordes & Another (2021) 12 NWLR (Part 1789) — Supreme Court. Locus Classicus.
  • Chibueze Ojeh v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) JELR 109884 (SC) — Supreme Court. Locus Classicus.
  • Led a team defending a client in a high-profile money laundering matter involving in excess of $30,000,000 (Thirty Million Dollars) at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
  • Served as Lead Adviser tracing and recovering N1,000,000,000 (One Billion Naira) in corruption proceeds for the Federal Government of Nigeria.
  • Counsel to a Receiver/Manager appointed by Fidelity Bank over an unpaid loan facility exceeding N1,000,000,000.
  • Initiated Nigeria’s first-ever class action against all Nigerian Commercial Banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria over unauthorised ATM withdrawals.
  • Served as Counsel in escheatment proceedings resulting in N1,600,000,000 being recovered for the Federal Government of Nigeria.
  • Advised a leading Fintech company on the injection of over $10,000,000 as equity and debt finance by a globally known venture capitalist.

International Publications (Thomson Reuters, Sweet & Maxwell)

Tochukwu Onyiuke, SAN is the only African lawyer to have consistently published in the Computer and Telecommunication Law Review (C.T.L.R), published by Thomson Reuters, Sweet & Maxwell, United Kingdom — a journal placing him alongside the world’s leading technology lawyers. His published works include:

  • Artificial Intelligence in Nigeria’s Financial Sector: Lessons from System ‘Bug’ in Interswitch v. UBA Plc. (2024) C.T.L.R Vol. 30, Issue 1.
  • Testing the Boundaries of Legal Liability in the Usage of Artificial Intelligence. (2024) C.T.L.R Vol. 30, Issue 2.
  • Right to be Forgotten: Understanding Nigerian Data Regulatory Framework. (2025) 31 C.T.L.R Issue 1.
  • Controlling Realities: The Role of Law in Deep Fake Technology. (2025) C.T.L.R Vol. 31, Issue 5.
  • Legal Protection and Frameworks of Algorithms in the Digital Age. (2025) C.T.L.R Vol. 31, Issue 7.
  • Plus 6 earlier articles in the same journal (2021–2023) covering electronic transactions, trademark law in cyberspace, electoral law in cyberspace, and cybercrime liability.
  • He has also published in: Amicus Curiae (University of London / SOAS); the Journal of International Maritime Law (UK); Intechopen (London); the BRIPAN Law Review; and the Nigerian Bar Journal.

Forthcoming Textbook

The Law of Cyberspace and Decentralised Finance — a legal textbook by Tochukwu Onyiuke, SAN (currently in preparation).

Service to the Profession

  • Chairman, Editorial Board — Lagos Branch, Nigerian Bar Association (2025 to date)Member, Editorial Board of the Lagos Bar of the Nigerian Bar Association (2020–2024)
  • Member, Organising Committee — Lagos Bar Law Week 2023 & 2024

Education

  • M.Sc. Financial Management — Middlesex University Business School, London (2005)
  • Barrister at Law (B.L.) — Nigerian Law School, Abuja (2001)
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) — University of Jos (1999)