IFLR is delighted to reveal the shortlist for the second annual Africa Awards 2021. Below is the full list of deal, team and national and international firm of the year finalists.
The IFLR Africa Awards focus exclusively on legal innovation in cross-border transactions. Transactions must have reached financial close between June 1 2020 and May 31 2021 to be considered. The full methodology and criteria can be found here.
Winners will be announced on September 9, when IFLR will also announce the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame Award.
IFLR will announce the winners online, with podcasts and written profiles to explore the work covered in the awards and the teams and individuals behind it. Previous IFLR Awards podcasts include the Europe Awards, Asia-Pacific Awards, Americas Awards, Asia-Pacific Market Reform Award, Americas Market Reform Award and Americas Lifetime Achievement Award.
To find out more please contact Liam Sharkey.
The winners will be announced on September 9th. To ensure the widest possible audience, the broadcast is open-access and there is no fee to attend. Please register here.
The shortlist below is based on preliminary research. If your team advised on one of these transactions but has not been listed please contact Jamie Rayat.
DEALS OF THE YEAR
Capital markets
AB InBev and SAB empowerment transactions
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Africa Finance Corporation green bond
Aluko & Oyebode
Clifford Chance
White & Case
Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement sustainability bond
Dechert
White & Case
Clindeb-Netcare-Standard Bank sustainability-linked bond
Bowmans
Development Bank of Southern Africa green bond
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Clifford Chance
CMS
CMS Francis Lefebvre
Hammerson rights issue
ENSafrica
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Herbert Smith Freehills
Nedbank ESG-linked notes
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
White & Case
RH Bophelo cross-listing
ENSafrica
Linklaters
Domestic
Dangote Cement share buy-back
Banwo & Ighodalo
Federal Government of Nigeria sukuk
Banwo & Ighodalo
Metropolitan Law Firm
Sefton Fross
Udo Udoma Bela & Osagie
Fonds Damane Tamayouz securitisations
Clifford Chance
Greenwich Trust merchant bank conversion
Banwo & Ighodalo
Tokunbo Orimobi
Mary Oppenheimer and Daughters (4Racing) / Phumelela racing assets
Fluxmans
Werksmans
Nigerian Stock Exchange demutualization
Aluko & Oyebode
Riche Terre waste-to-value plant financing
BLC Robert & Associates
SA Bidco / Comair
ENSafrica
Werksmans
Loans
Access Bank trade financing
Aluko & Oyebode
Clifford Chance
Africa Finance Corporation - DFC capital loan
DLA Piper
Aluko & Oyebode
Africell commercial loan
Clifford Chance
Hogan Lovells
Mayer Brown
White & Case
Bank of Industry - Afreximbank and Credit Suisse term loan
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
White & Case
Bushveld Minerals - Orion Resources financing
Allen & Overy
Bowmans
Falcon Hume
Gowlings
Lousol refinancing
Aluko & Oyebode
Appleby Mauritius
Baker Mckenzie
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Trade and Development Bank pandemic relief loan
Clifford Chance
White & Case
M&A
Access Bank / Grobank
Bowmans
DLA Piper
Norton Rose Fulbright
Webber Wentzel
Allianz / Jubilee General Insurance
Bowmans Kenya
CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick
Slaughter and May
Globeleq / Cumming Power Generation Nigeria
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
DLA Piper Africa, Nigeria (Olajide Oyewole)
Templars
I&M Holdings / Orient Bank
Anjarwalla & Khanna
Bowmans Kenya
Clifford Chance
Karrooooo / Cartrack
Davis Polk & Wardwell
ENSafrica
Norton Rose Fulbright
The Foschini Group / Jet
Bookbinder Law
ENSafrica
Robinson Bertram Law
Webber Newdigate Attorneys
Stripe / Paystack Payments
Aluko & Oyebode
Fenwick & West
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
The New Practice
Zeepay / Mangwee Mobile Zambia
JLD & MB Legal Consultancy
Private Equity
Actis (Neoma Africa Fund) / Octotel and RSAWeb
Fluxmans
Webber Wentzel
AP Møller Capital and Holmarcom / Mass Céréales al Maghreb
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
Mame Adama Gueye & Associés Avocats
Capitalworks / Peregrine
Bedell Cristin Partnership
BLC Robert & Associates
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Clifford Chance
Conyers Dill & Pearman
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans
Exeo Capital (Agri-Vie Fund II) / Glacier Products
DLA Piper Africa, Kenya (IKM Advocates)
Kaplan & Stratton
Leapfrog Investments / ICEA Lion Insurance
ALN Kenya|Anjarwalla & Khanna
ALN Uganda|MMAKS Advocates
ALN Tanzania|A&K Tanzania
Kaplan & Stratton
Metier and Retailability / Edgars and Edcon subsidiaries
Bookbinders
Cliffe Dekker Hoffmeyer
DLA Piper Africa, Namibia (ESI Namibia)
ENSafrica
Robertson & Bertram
Webbers Newdigate
Sanlam Emerging Markets / FBN Insurance
Aluko & Oyebode
SPA Ajibade & Co.
Glyn Marais
Valar Ventures / Kuda Technologies
CooleyThe
G Elias & Co
Templars
TaylorWessing
Project finance
Beitbridge border post modernisation project
Allen & Overy
BLC
Bowmans
DLA Piper Africa, Mauritius (Juristconsult Chambers)
DLA Piper Africa, Zimbabwe (Manokore Attorneys)
Eversheds Sutherland
Gill Godlonton & Gerrans
Harneys
Herbert Smith Freehills
Werksmans
Escotel
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Trinity International
Lekki Deep Sea Port Project
Allen & Overy
Aluko & Oyebode
Campbells
Global Law Office
Jingtian & Gongcheng
Linklaters
Mourant
Templars
Sidi Mansour Windfarm
Trinity International
Société Générale des Travaux du Maroc (SGTM) cement plant
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Allen & Overy
UGGC
TAV Airports project finance restructuring
Cabinet Donia Hedda-Ellouze Ellouze & Belajouza-Felli
Ciftci Law Firm
Clifford Chance
Meziou Knani & Khlif
NautaDutilh
Shearman & Sterling
Sibel Ertekin Law Office
Taza Wind Farm
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
Restructuring
DAZN Media Group
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Templars
Petra Diamonds financial restructuring
ALN Tanzania|A&K Tanzania
Ashurst
Baker McKenzie
Werksmans
White & Case
TAV Airports restructuring
Cabinet Donia Hedda-Ellouze Ellouze & Belajouza-Felli
Ciftci Law Firm
Clifford Chance
Meziou Knani & Khlif
NautaDutilh
Shearman & Sterling
Sibel Ertekin Law Office
Tsebo
Bowmans
ENSAfrica
Webber Wentzel
TEAMS OF THE YEAR
Capital markets
Bowmans
Clifford Chance
Dechert
ENSafrica
Herbert Smith Freehills
Linklaters
Davis Polk & Wardwell
White & Case
Loans
Allen & Overy
Bowmans
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
Hogan Lovells
Mayer Brown
White & Case
M&A
Bowmans
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
ENSafrica
Fenwick & West
Norton Rose Fulbright
Slaughter and May
Webber Wentzel
Private equity
Allen & Overy
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Webber Wentzel
Project finance
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Herbert Smith Freehills
Linklaters
Shearman & Sterling
Trinity International
Restructuring
Allen & Overy
Ashurst
Clifford Chance
ENSAfrica
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Shearman & Sterling
Webber Wentzel
White & Case
REGIONAL AWARDS
International law firm of the year
Allen & Overy
Clifford Chance
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Herbert Smith Freehills
Linklaters
Shearman & Sterling
Slaughter and May
White & Case
In-house team of the year
African Development Bank
African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank)
Africa Finance Corporation
Africell
Development Bank of South Africa
Nigerian Exchange Group
Standard Bank
Trade and Development Bank
Legal network of the year
ALN
Bowmans
DLA Piper Africa
ENSafrica
Morais Leitao
IFLR Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame
Funke Adekoya - Aelex
Brigette Baillie - Herbert Smith Freehills
Olubunmi Fayokun - Aluko & Oyebode
Sonal Sejpal - Anjarwalla & Khanna
2020 Hall of Fame winner: Kofo Dosekun
NATIONAL LAW FIRMS OF THE YEAR
Angola
ALC Advogados
ASP Advogados
BCSA - Advogados
Fátima Freitas Advogados
FBL Advogados
Ghana
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
ENSafrica Ghana
JLD & MB Legal Consultancy
N Dowuona & Company
Kenya
Anjarwalla & Khanna
Bowmans (Coulson Harney)
CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Matthew
DLA Piper Africa, Kenya (IKM Advocates)
Kaplan & Stratton
Mauritius
Appleby
Benoit Chambers
BLC Robert & Associates
Dentons Mauritius
DLA Piper Africa, Mauritius (Juristconsult Chambers)
ENSafrica
Morocco
Allen & Overy
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Clifford Chance
Mozambique
ABCC - Avillez Bacar Centeio & Cambule
Couto Graça e Associados
DLA Piper Africa, Mozambique (SAL & Caldeira)
GDA Advogados
HRA Advogados
TTA - Tomás Timbane & Associados Advogados
Nigeria
Nigeria firm of the to be year announced on the night
Capital markets - Nigeria
Aelex
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Loans - Nigeria
Aluko & Oyebode
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
M&A - Nigeria
Aelex
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
Templars
The New Practice
Project finance - Nigeria
Aelex
Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
OHADA
Asafo & Co
Cabinet Geni & Kebe
Houda Law Firm
John W Ffooks & Co
Mame Adama Gueye & Associés Avocats
Ngassam Fansi & Mouafo
South Africa
South Africa firm of the year to be announced on the night
Capital markets - South Africa
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Herbert Smith Freehills
White & Case
Loans - South Africa
Allen & Overy
Baker McKenzie
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
M&A - South Africa
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans
Project finance - South Africa
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Herbert Smith Freehills
Webber Wentzel
Tanzania
ALN Tanzania|A&K Tanzania
Clyde & Co
DLA Piper Africa, Tanzania (IMMMA Advocates)
FB Attorneys
Uganda
ALN Uganda|MMAKS Advocates
DLA Piper Africa, Uganda (Sebalu & Lule)
ENSafrica Uganda
Shonubi Musoke & Co
Note: National firm winners across the rest of the region will be announced on the night
