About Nexply Compliance
Nexply Compliance is a compliance company that gets fintechs, payment companies and digital asset businesses licensed, then keeps them compliant. We are a licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation (DPCO) with the NDPC. Our clients are founders, COOs and compliance leads at fintechs in Nigeria and Canada, as well as foreign companies entering these markets. We handle both the legal and the compliance work for our clients, from company structuring and licensing to data protection, AML/CFT and tax.
About the Role
We are looking for a Legal Officer with at least 5 years of experience working with startups and in tech law. You will be the legal backbone of our client work. You will draft and review the documents our clients need to raise money, get licensed and stay compliant, and you will work directly with founders and regulators. This role suits someone who understands how startups actually run, can move fast without cutting corners, and is comfortable working across more than one jurisdiction.
What You Will Do
Corporate and startup legal work
• Handle corporate structuring and CAC governance for client companies, including board constitution, director and shareholder changes, board resolutions and statutory filings
• Draft and review founder share documentation, share issuances, cap table cleanups and registers of directors and shareholders
• Draft employee stock option agreements and support the setup of ESOP plans
• Support fundraising by preparing investor data rooms, reviewing term sheets and handling legal due diligence for pre-seed and seed rounds
• Advise on group structures for companies with entities in multiple countries (Nigeria, US/Delaware, Canada, Kenya and others)
Licensing and regulatory work
• Prepare and manage licence applications with CBN (PSSP, IMTO, Finance House, MFB) and SEC Nigeria (VASP)
• Support foreign licensing and registrations, including FINTRAC MSB registration and Bank of Canada PSP registration under the RPAA, and virtual asset licensing in other African markets
• Act as a point of contact with regulators and follow up on applications until approval
Ongoing compliance
• Draft and review AML/CFT, KYC/KYB and data protection policies
• Support NDPC data protection compliance, NFIU goAML registration and other registrations with data protection authorities across Africa
• Support tax registration and structuring advice with NRS
• Prepare compliance documentation such as CCO/MLRO appointment resolutions and certified true copies for regulator filings
Contracts and advisory
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts, service agreements, engagement letters, partnership agreements, NDAs and data processing agreements
• Translate laws and regulations into clear, practical advice that founders and non-legal teams can act on
• Track regulatory changes across our markets and brief the team and clients on what they mean
• Support audits, regulatory inquiries and investigations when they come up
• Keep accurate legal records and client files
• Contribute to staff training and compliance awareness sessions for clients
What You Need
• LL.B and called to the Nigerian Bar
• Minimum of 5 years post-call experience, with real hands-on work for startups, fintechs or tech companies (in-house, at a law firm or in a compliance firm)
• Strong drafting skills. You should be able to produce clean contracts, resolutions, policies and regulatory submissions with little supervision
• Solid knowledge of CAMA 2020, CAC processes and Nigerian corporate governance
• Working knowledge of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, GDPR and data protection compliance in practice
• Good understanding of the Nigerian fintech and digital asset regulatory space, including CBN and SEC frameworks and AML/CFT requirements
• Experience with startup financing documents such as SAFEs, term sheets, shareholder agreements and stock options
• Ability to explain complex legal issues in plain language to founders and business teams
• Strong research, organisation and attention to detail
• Ability to manage several client matters at once and meet deadlines
• Integrity and sound judgement. You will handle sensitive client information daily
Nice to Have
• Postgraduate degree or certification in commercial, technology, regulatory or data protection law
• Data protection certification (CIPP/E, CIPM, NDPC-recognised certifications or similar)
• AML/CFT certification (CAMS, ICA or similar)
• Experience with US (Delaware) corporate documents or Canadian regulatory filings
• Experience working with crypto, stablecoin or virtual asset businesses
• Familiarity with tax structuring for tech companies
Why Join Us
• Work on real licensing, fundraising and compliance work for fast-growing fintech and digital asset companies
• Exposure to regulatory work across Nigeria, Canada, the US and other African markets
• A small team where your work is seen and has direct impact
• Room to grow as Nexply expands its services