Africa notes
Find the latest legal developments in Africa on our blog.
Avec une expérience qui couvre les 54 pays d'Afrique et tous les secteurs-clés de l'économie, nous disposons d'une connaissance approfondie des systèmes juridiques locaux et régionaux, des pratiques commerciales, des cultures locales et des considérations sociopolitiques, ainsi que des problèmes et des réalités propres à la façon de faire des affaires en Afrique.
La combinaison de notre expertise de cabinet généraliste intervenant dans tous les secteurs de l'économie et de nos expériences et savoir-faire approfondis en Afrique nous permet de fournir à nos clients sur le continent un service avec une véritable valeur ajoutée, qu'il s'agisse de nouveaux entrants sur ces marchés en plein essor ou d'opérateurs établis.
Notre cabinet est classé par Chambers Global parmi les cabinets de première catégorie pour les activités Africa-wide Projects & Energy, Mining & Minerals et Dispute Resolution. Cinq de nos associés ont également reçu des distinctions par Chambers Global 2021 en tant que leaders pour l'activité Africa-wide Projects & Energy – plus que tout autre cabinet dans cette catégorie.
Advised Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands), a subsidiary of Airtel Africa plc, on the sale of a US$200 million stake to TPG-owned The Rise Fund in Airtel's mobile money business, which operates in 14 African jurisdictions
Advising Comcast on the creation of an Africa-wide streaming service with MultiChoice Group, Africa's biggest pay TV company
A global leader of beverage alcohol, on the sale of 100% of Guinness Cameroon S.A., one of the most important brewers in Cameroon, to France's Castel Group for £389 million
On its USD 117.75 million investment into the Bougouni Lithium project in Mali, in a transaction with Kodal Minerals Plc
On its acquisition of 5,709 telecommunication towers in South Africa from MTN for USD 410 million
On the development and financing through a PPP model of the proposed 400MW Mpatamanga Hydropower Project
Band 1 rankings for Africa-wide Projects & Energy, Africa-wide Mining & Minerals and Africa-wide Oil & Gas
Winner of Africa-wide International Law Firm of the Year: Projects & Energy
"We are impressed by the HSF Kramer team's ability to provide intelligent legal advice. They are very helpful in helping us overcome complex commercial and legal difficulties with practical yet thoughtful solutions."
"The partner we work with has an excellent feel for both the legal and commercial aspects of negotiations. The team finds solutions that work and makes sure they are in everyone's best interest."
"HSF Kramer do a very good job and act well in protecting our interests. The team is always available and delivers work on time."
"They really know their stuff for Africa oil and gas. When there are complicated local points that come up, they help guide us through those. The team are responsive and very knowledgeable of both the black-letter law and the practice itself."
"The team are very strong, not only in the availability of all team members but also in their proactive approach to giving advice and managing transactions."
"Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has the ability to take complex legal matters and find practical solutions which are accessible to all members of the team." "Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has a clear understanding of client needs and dynamics."
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 Kramer's proactivity and solution-oriented advice, with several commending its “excellent ESG expertise.”
The Fair Deal Sierra Leone Pro Bono Initiative
Since 2010, we have partnered with the Government of Sierra Leone on our Fair Deal Sierra Leone ("FDSL") pro bono initiative. Through FDSL, we leverage our international and cross-practice experience to deliver free legal advice to the Government, supporting the West African nation on its continuing efforts to harness its resources for sustainable growth and development.
We value the Government of Sierra Leone as a key global client, offering a dedicated relationship team and access to our full range of services.
Through FDSL, our lawyers have advised on landmark transactions across various sectors, ensuring Sierra Leone’s interests are well represented in negotiations with international investors. To assist the Government in its efforts to improve the investment landscape in Sierra Leone, we produced a detailed online guide to investing in Sierra Leone, in collaboration with Standard Chartered Bank, Prudential and the UK and Sierra Leonean Governments. The guide, most recently updated in 2019, provided key insights into the commercial, social and investment implications of ongoing events in the country, such as the Ebola crisis.
As part of our long-standing support, we host investor conferences including, most recently, the 2025 Sierra Leone Investment Forum at our offices in London. The event showcases a pipeline of projects and brings together government officials, DFIs, and private sector leaders to discuss the evolving financial ecosystem.
Notably, our work goes beyond investments as we have supported the Government with rule of law and capacity building initiatives through providing guidance on important policy and legislative reforms such as our work on facilitating the country's accession to the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in 2020 and modernising its arbitration act.
In the past, our support through FDSL included secondments from HSF Kramer to the Government, and vice versa, and in more recent years has involved:
For more information, please contact [email protected].
Find the latest legal developments in Africa on our blog.
Partner, Head of Projects, Energy and Infrastructure, UK and EMEA, London
Managing Partner, Johannesburg Office, Johannesburg
Partner, Paris
Managing Partner, EMEA, Paris