Tonbofa received an LLB from the University of Lagos and has a Masters of Law from Harvard Law School where she was involved in clinical work involving the energy and international finance sectors. She also studied economic analysis of policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Tonbofa practiced in the Nigerian firms Strachan Partners and Olaniwun Ajayi LP, where she was the head of the firm’s Dispute Resolution Practice (a team of 13 lawyers). She is licenced to practice law in the State of New York, USA and Nigeria.

Tonbofa was the Director-General of the Bayelsa State Government Due Process and e-Governance Bureau and the Co-ordinator of the Bayelsa State Child Development Account Project (a Bayelsa State Government sponsored initiative in partnership with Columbia University, World Bank and New America Foundation aimed at encouraging students and their parents to save for their future education).

She was appointed by NAICOM to the Board of Goldlink Plc; represents the FIRS on oil taxation disputes; and was part of the AMCON Faculty that trained Federal High Court Judges and lawyers. Tonbofa leads the team on all advisory and representative briefs.

Tonbofa is a panellist at the sixth annual Africa Investment Exchange: Gas meeting in 2020.