Why Herbert Smith Freehills? Africa is an exciting but sometimes complex place to do business. Our vast experience throughout the continent means that we have already navigated through a multitude of different business challenges in Africa and can therefore simplify things for you without having to reinvent the wheel each time. At the same time we are constantly exploring innovative ideas and different approaches to help our clients to achieve their best results in Africa.
Depth of experience: Herbert Smith Freehills has an unrivalled understanding of the African market derived from a deep track record acting on matters in Africa for over 40 years across all practice groups and industry sectors. Our offering in Africa is serviced by more than 180 partners from across our global network of offices, including from our 40-lawyer Johannesburg office. We have Africa desks in each of our international hubs, including Asia, comprising lawyers who have experience in Africa and who work regularly with specialist Africa lawyers from elsewhere across our network. This means that you can access our global pool of Africa know-how and expertise from your own time zones, wherever you are located. We have worked on matters in all 54 countries of Africa (covering French, English, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic-speaking jurisdictions) and on over 1000 matters in 2021. Whether you consider the continent is fast-changing or not changing fast enough, our ability to harness our deep pool of experience on the continent means that we can guide you through the unique challenges and opportunities of working in Africa to provide tailored realistic solutions.
Global vision, Africa insight: As well as drawing on our deep global sectoral expertise when serving our clients in Africa, we can also drill down into specific local in-country issues, which is often where a deal or project can become unstuck. Our Africa practice group includes a core team of Africa specialists who dedicate all or a large portion of their time to work in Africa. These lawyers have built significant experience in specific regions and countries and offer a comprehensive understanding of the laws of the OHADA zone and other regional initiatives (CEMAC-ECCAS, CEDEAO-ECOWAS, UEMOA-WAEMU etc). Building strong relationships of trust and confidence is key to the success of our clients' activities in any jurisdiction globally, particularly in Africa, and face to face meetings are common. Our teams spend a considerable amount of time on the ground in Africa engaging with local industry players, government and local counsel, which has enabled us to build and maintain good working relationships. We are sensitive to local cultural differences and place a strong emphasis on commercial diplomacy when helping our clients to successfully navigate through the issues and realities of doing business on the continent.
Mitigating your risks and resolving your challenges in Africa: We are able to combine our deep Africa know-how and experience with our leading global dispute resolution and crisis management practice. Our ability to foresee and to help you to protect against potential areas of risk and dispute in Africa before they arise, and to deal with them efficiently when things go wrong, is a real differentiator for us and is one of the areas where we believe that we can provide a service in Africa that is over and above that of our competitors.
Don't just take our word for it: We are ranked in eight Africa-wide categories by Chambers Global 2022, including Band 1 rankings for Africa-wide Projects & Energy and Africa-wide Mining & Minerals. Five of our partners are also singled out by Chambers Global 2022 as leading individuals for Africa-wide Projects & Energy— the most individual rankings achieved in this category by any law firm.
AFRICA NOTES - Find the latest legal developments in Africa on our blog. |
Insights and updates
Expertise in Africa
Please click on the relevant areas of the map below to view examples of our experience in all of the countries throughout Africa.
Recent Experience
Our expert teams across sectors and practice areas provide a diverse range of legal knowledge to our clients in the region
IHS Holding Limited (IHS)
Advising on its acquisition of Helios Towers Nigeria Limited from HTN Towers.
Willis Towers Watson
Advising on the sale of its entire shareholdings in businesses in 15 African markets
CMOC
Advising on the acquisition of Freeport's indirect 56% interest in the world-class Tenke Fungurume mine in DRC for US$2.65 billion.
Vitol SA
Advising on its US$7 billion oil and gas project in Ghana with ENI supplying gas for power generation.
Southern African Power Pool Coordination Centre
Advising on the Botswana-South Africa (BOSA) transmission line.
EDF, IFC and Government of Cameroon
Advising on the development of the Nachtigal Hydroelectric Project in Cameroon.
Accolades
Chambers Africa Awards 2022
The firm is a global powerhouse when it comes to projects, energy and natural resources and presents a formidable offering for clients and stakeholders in Africa. Interviewees praised HSF’s proactivity and solution-oriented advice, with several commending its “excellent ESG expertise.”
Chambers Global 2022
Band 1 for Africa-wide Projects & Energy
Chambers Global 2022
Band 1 for Africa-wide Mining & Minerals
Chambers Global 2022
Africa-wide Projects & Energy
Sources appreciate that the lawyers "approach things proactively," adding that the group's "advice is very comprehensive and very efficient." Commentators praise the team's ability to "detect problems and provide solutions."
CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2022
Africa-wide TMT
One client said: "They have the ability to assist straight away and attend to complex and urgent matters in a very professional manner," concluding: "They are top-notch attorneys." Another client added: "They are pragmatic, practical and solution-oriented."
CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2022
Africa-wide Dispute Resolution
Clients say: "The team is to the point and gives appropriate, practical advice." Sources also remark that Herbert Smith "has a good history of Africa work."