Legal & Compliance Manager – West Africa

[https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/5ac97b31-49cd-4012-8bb0-5caf15e33c69/B25.png] WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MANAGER – WEST AFRICA TO JOIN OUR LEGAL GROUP; AS WE SCALE UP AND DRIVE DIGITAL AND FINANCIAL INCLUSION ACROSS OUR MARKETS. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/2c6957b4-39d2-40b3-8eb6-7e380a0c2f9c/B13.png] THE FULL LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE BRIEF FOR TWO OF AFRICA'S MOST SIGNIFICANT MARKETS Nigeria and Ghana. Two regulatory bodies for banking supervision. Two corporate governance frameworks — CAMA 2020 and the Companies Act 2019. Two sets of statutory filing obligations. One role that carries accountability for all of it, plus commercial contracting, data privacy, compliance programme management, and investor reporting. For a lawyer who wants genuine breadth — not a narrow lane in a large legal team — this is a rare brief. M-KOPA has extended more than $2 billion in credit to over 10 million customers across seven markets, with 55% accessing formal financial products for the first time. In West Africa, the legal and compliance infrastructure that supports that mission sits with this role. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/5e9f3448-2fed-4b66-b1ee-9474279a7947/B13.png] WHAT THE WORK COVERS The role is the primary legal and compliance resource for M-KOPA's Nigeria and Ghana operations, reporting to the Head of Department. The scope spans regulatory licensing and engagement with the Bank of Ghana and Central Bank of Nigeria; corporate governance and secretarial matters for both entities; drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements including vendor contracts, service agreements, and technology licences; and management of the external counsel panel across both markets. The role also carries designation as Data Privacy Officer for West Africa, with responsibility for compliance with applicable data privacy legislation across the region, supported by the global privacy team. On the compliance side, it includes maintaining the full suite of compliance tools — obligations register, training calendar, incident register, and risk register — coordinating training programmes, and supporting ESMS implementation and ESG investor reporting. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/87b7ac18-2560-453b-8458-604083f04eb2/M-KOPA%20Pic.jpg] WHAT THIS ROLE REQUIRES A proven track record in a legal or compliance function, with post-call-to-bar experience in a regulated or commercially active environment; banking, finance, or fintech exposure is an advantage. Demonstrable experience in contract negotiation, regulatory engagement, and corporate governance, with working knowledge of compliance standards and risk management frameworks. An undergraduate LLB degree; prior exposure to structured finance, capital markets, or data privacy is an added advantage. WHY THIS, AND WHY NOW In private practice, you serve the client's brief. In a specialist in-house role, you own one function. Here, you are the legal and compliance lead for a growing fintech across two consequential West African markets — with the range, the relationships, and the commercial exposure that comes with it. WHY M-KOPA? At M-KOPA, we empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on-the-job training. We support individual journeys with family-friendly policies, prioritize well-being, and embrace flexibility. Join us in shaping the future of M-KOPA as we grow together. Explore more at m-kopa.com http://m-kopa.com. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/1d985516-2a99-43c0-b591-957f5adaceb9/369018b8-cf9c-49c7-95f1-1d414482ba57/B13.png] Recognized four times by the Financial Times as one Africa's fastest growing companies (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026), named on CNBC's World’s Top Fintech Companies 20…