Oluwabunmi Adaramola

Profile

I am currently a final-year PhD Researcher at the School of Law, University of Leeds, where my research focuses on regulating virtual money and combating financial crime, particularly within the context of crypto-laundering in developing economies. Using Nigeria as a case study, my doctoral work explores innovative enforcement mechanisms including smart enforcement, reflexive governance, and multi-stakeholder approaches as well as the application of blockchain technology and crypto-analytics to enhance regulatory compliance.

Before commencing my PhD, I completed both my LLB and LLM (International Corporate Law) at the University of Leeds in 2018 and 2019 respectively, followed by the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and MSc in Law, Business and Management at the University of Law, Manchester, in 2020. I completed the Nigerian Bar Examinations and qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria in 2022.

Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a Legal Researcher with ERM Libryo (Libryo Collaborate), where I contributed to projects involving legal governance, environmental compliance, and regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions. I hold Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) and have taught on undergraduate modules including Contract Law, Criminal Law, and Law & Society, where I support students in developing both doctrinal knowledge and critical socio-legal awareness.

Alongside my academic and editorial commitments, I currently serve as Managing Editor of the Leeds Student Law and Criminal Justice Review, a student-led journal dedicated to showcasing high-quality legal scholarship at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Research interests

My research is broadly focused on the interrelation between anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks and cryptocurrency regulations in Nigeria. My research focuses on regulating virtual money and combating financial crime, particularly within the context of crypto-laundering in developing economies. Using Nigeria as a case study, my doctoral work examines the evolving relationship between technology, law and financial governance in the Global South. I explore innovative enforcement mechanisms such as smart enforcement, reflexive governance, and multi-stakeholder regulatory models, alongside the potential use of blockchain technology and crypto-analytics to enhance transparency, traceability and accountability in financial systems.

Beyond the central focus on crypto-laundering, my broader research interests lie in the areas of financial regulation, law and technology, economic criminology, digital governance and development policy. I am particularly interested in how emerging technologies reshape traditional legal frameworks, the challenges of regulatory capacity in low- and middle-income countries and the global power asymmetries embedded in digital financial regulation. My work also engages with comparative approaches to financial crime enforcement, the intersection of law, innovation, and governance and the role of transnational institutions in shaping cryptocurrency policy and compliance standards.

Qualifications

• B.L. (Barrister-at-Law), Nigeria
• MSc Law, Business and Management
• LLM International Corporate Law
• LLB Law

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Business Law and Practice