HSF Kramer hosts 7th Africa Arbitration Academy

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's London International Arbitration and Africa practices welcomed delegates from across the African continent for the seventh edition of the Africa Arbitration Academy in London.

The Africa Arbitration Academy is a leading training initiative designed to equip African arbitration practitioners with advanced skills and practical insights to support the growth of international arbitration across the continent.

We were proud to welcome 27 delegates from 13 different countries to this year's programme.

The day opened with a session on construction arbitration led by James Doe and Xavier Milne, before turning to the increasingly prominent topic of climate change arbitration with Louise Barber and Arushie Marwah.

The morning concluded with this year's in-house counsel panel, Navigating Sovereign, Regulatory, and Commercial Risk in African Transactions: The In-House Counsel Perspective. The panel featured Oyinlola Adebayo (Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria), Saddy Sevingi (Director of Arbitration, Ministry of Justice, Tanzania) and The Honourable Umaru Koroma (Deputy Minister of Mines, Sierra Leone), and was moderated by Osarieme Anita Omonuwa, Group Senior Legal Counsel at CrossBoundary Group.

After lunch, delegates enjoyed a fireside chat with Independent Arbitrator and former Partner Paula Hodges KC and current Global Co-Head of International Arbitration Andrew Cannon, followed by a forward-looking session on AI disputes led by Adam McMahon and Rutger Metsch, and an engaging discussion on life as a KC with Mike McClure KC and Chris Parker KC. Jonathan Ripley-Evans and Rosie Axbey wrapped up the day with a Q&A session where the firm’s recent involvement in South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal was hotly discussed, followed by a networking reception.

“Hosting this year's Africa Arbitration Academy was a highlight for our team. The quality of dialogue throughout the day was exceptional, and it is always gratifying to play a role in supporting the next generation of arbitration practitioners across the continent” said Partner sponsor Charlie Morgan.

About our Africa Practice

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 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. In 2025 alone we worked on around 1000+ matters spanning 48 African countries and involving 220+ partners across 22 offices.

For more information on our premium Africa Dispute Resolution practice, please visit here.

The fourth edition Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer’s Guide to Dispute Resolution in Africa is available here.