IFLR is delighted to reveal the finalists of the fifth annual IFLR Africa Awards.
For the second year in its brief but glittering history, all the winning deals, firms, in-house teams and lawyers will be presented at the IFLR Africa Awards ceremony in South Africa, which this year will be take place at the Mount Nelson in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 27.
To find out more and to book your place at the ceremony, please contact Emily Kyriacou.
IFLR's awards are unique for their focus on legal innovation through dealmaking, be it by testing new legal frameworks, creating new structures, or setting benchmarks for others to follow. We strive to celebrate legal ingenuity that improves the cross-border investment environment.
The 2025 Africa Awards will highlight some of those most notable of those achievements of 2024 from across the African continent.
The law firms and legal teams listed on each of the shortlisted deals below are based on preliminary research. If you advised on one of the deals, but are not listed, please contact awards research lead Deborah Olaniyi.
Congratulations to all of those shortlisted!
DEALS OF THE YEAR
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Africa Development Bank Hybrid NotesA&O Shearman
Clifford Chance
In-house: African Development BankBoxer IPOBowmans
Linklaters
Milbank
Stikeman Elliot
Webber Wentzel
In-house: Pick n PayGhana Eurobond Debt ExchangeAddison Bright Sloane
ENSafrica
Hogan Lovells
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
White & Case
Sullivan & Cromwell
In-house: Ministry of Finance and Attorney-General; Bank of AmericaHelios Towers Senior NotesENSafrica
Linklaters
n dowuona & company
Paul HastingsIHS Towers Senior Notes due 2030 and 2031ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Clifford Chance
K&L Gates
NautaDutilh
Templars
Walkers
White & CaseRepublic of Côte d'Ivoire Sustainability BondsCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
FDKA Avocats
KSK Société d'Avocats
White & CaseSouth Africa Dual Tranche IssuanceA&O Shearman
Clifford Chance
ENSafrica
In-house: Citigroup Global Markets, Goldman Sachs InternationalUNCDF – Tanga UWASA Green BondALN Tanzania | A&K Tanzania
In-house: National Bank of Commerce, NMB Madaraka Branch -
Aradel NGX ListingTemplarsCilo Cybin IPOWerksmans AttorneysFederal Government of Nigeria USD-denominated BondG Elias & Co
Olaniwun Ajayi
In-house: Federal Ministry of JusticeKasapreko Unsecured NotesBentsi-Enchill Letsa & AnkomahLinzi FinCo Sukuk IssueKN Law
In-house: Linzi FinCO, Linda ConsortiumOando / Nigerian Agip Oil CompanyA&O Shearman
Banwo & Ighodalo
Bracewell
DLA Piper Africa, Nigeria (Olajide Oyewole)
EY Law
Herbert Smith Freehills
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Odujinrin Adefulu
Templars
In-house: Eni, Oando, MercuriaReal Estate Investments Zambia REITJ&M Advocates
Musa Dudhia & CoSeplat Energy Offshore / Mobil Producing NigeriaLatham & Watkins
Olaniwun Ajayi
Streamsowers and Kohn
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
White & Case
In-house: Seplat Energy, ExxonMobilThe Floating Solar ProjectTemplars -
AFC Dual Currency FacilityA&O Shearman
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Ashurst
In-house: Africa Finance CorporationBUA Industries – Afreximbank FacilityA&O Shearman
G Elias & Co
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Watson Farley & William
In-house: Afreximbank, Africa Finance Corporation, BUA IndustriesBushveld Minerals Debt RestructuringBowmans
Falcon & Hume
Gowlings
Simmons & SimmonsCrossBoundary Energy FinancingAB & David
Basma & Macaulay
Benoit Chambers
BLC Robert & Associates
Bowmans / Coulson Harney
Bracewell
Couto Graca & Associados
Detail Commercial Solicitors
ENSafrica
Kaplan & Stratton
Keystone Solicitors Ghana
Lexel Juridique et Fiscal
Madagascar Law Offices
Miranda & Associados
S&L Advocates
Sharkawy & Sarhan Law Firm
Shehata & Partners
Tejan-Cole Yillah & Partners
Trinity International
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
In-house: Standard Bank Group, CrossBoundaryD.light FinancingNorton Rose Fulbright
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
In-house: Africa Frontier Capital, D.lightOando – Mercuria and Afrexim FinancingA&O Shearman
Blake Cassels & Graydon
Conyers Dill & Pearman
Herbert Smith Freehills
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Stibbe
Templars
In-house: Afreximbank, Mercuria, OandoPowerfleet / MiX Telematics Acquisition FinancingCornelius + Krage
McDermott Will & Emery
Olshan Frome Wolosky
Webber Wentzel
Wendelstein RechtsanwälteRepublic of Senegal MIGA-guaranteed Term LoanA&O Shearman
SCP Houda & Associés
In-house: Standard Chartered -
AngloGold Ashanti / CentaminADNA
Bahaa-Eldin Law Office
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
Cravath Swaine & Moore
ENSafrica
King & Wood Mallesons
Mourant Ozannes
Norton Rose Fullbright
Shalakany Law Office
Sharkawy & Sarhan
Slaughter and May
Stikeman Elliott
In-house: AngloGoldDevki-National Cement Company / CimerwaCliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
K-Solutions & Partners
Trust Law ChambersEngie and Meridiam / BTE RenewablesA&O Shearman
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Clifford Chance
ENSafrica
Trinity International
In-house: Engie, BTE GroupInternational Resources Holding / Mopani Copper MinesBaker McKenzie
Chibesakunda & Co
Linklaters
White & Case
In-house: Rothschild & Co, ZCCM InvestmentsTolaram Group / Guiness NigeriaALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Clifford Chance
G Elias & Co
Slaughter and May
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
In-house: Diageo, GuinessUniversal Music Group / Mavin GlobalBowmans
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Olaniwun Ajayi
Reed Smith
Ropes & Gray
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Zijin Mining Group / Newmont Golden RidgeJLD & MB Legal Consultancy
McCarthy Tétrault
DLA Piper Africa, Ghana (Reindorf Chambers)
In-house: Newmont Corporation -
Actis and Royal Bafokeng / SwiftnetBaker McKenzie
Bowmans
Webber Wentzel
In-house: Actis, Royal Bafokeng HoldingsAdenia Partners / Air Liquide AfricaAELEX
Asafo & Co
Cabinet d'Avocats Petro
Cabinet Biassaly
Cabinet Juri-Partner
Cabinet M Akakpo
FIDAL
Fiducia – Fitaxia
MBM Conseils
PwC
SARI Conseils
SCP Houda & Associés
In-house teams: Adenia, Air Liquide GroupAfricInvest / I&M BankALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
ALN Mauritius | BLC Robert & Associates
ALN Rwanda | K-Solutions & Partners
ALN Tanzania | A&K Tanzania
ALN Uganda I MMAKS Advocates
Bowmans
Walker Kontos Advocates
In-house: AfricInvest, I&M BankBlackrock / Lake Turkana Wind PowerALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
Clifford Chance
Kaplan & StrattonBrookfield Asset Management / Network InternationalALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
A&O Shearman
Corpus Legal Practitioners
Dentons ACAS Law
Linklaters
Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners
Webber WentzelES-KO, Phatisa and IFS Management / IFSDLA Piper
Freshfields Brukhaus Deringer
LHC Advisory -
Aéroport International Blaise Diagne Expansion FacilityCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Hogan LovellsAmaria Hydropower Plant Project FinancingADNA
BAO & Fils
Clifford Chance
Thiam & Associés
Zhong Lun Law Firm
In-house: TBEABaowu Group – Simandou InvestmentADNA
Allens
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
Euclid Law
Eversheds Sutherland
Hogan Lovells
Kabele Law Group
King & Wood Mallesons
Linklaters
Merits and Tree
Norton Rose Fullbright
Thiam & Associés
Watson Farley & Williams
In-house: Government Legal Team, Baowu GroupEleme Petrochemical Project FinancingALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Ashurst
Templars
White & Case
In-house: International Finance CorporationFeriana PV Project FinancingBracewell
Ferchiou & Associés
Meziou Knani & Khlif
Trinity International
In-house: EBRDGuiter – AfreximbankBaker McKenzie
DS Avocats
Thiam & Associés
In-house: AfreximbankSupertech Chemical Industry Methanol and Ammonium PlantA&O Shearman
Banwo & Ighodalo
King & Wood Mallesons
In-house: Stanbic IBTC BankWestern Area Power Generation ProjectBasma & Macauley
Benoit Chambers
Clifford Chance
Conyers
Edrina Chambers
Herbert Smith Freehills
Stronge Legal
Trinity International
TEAMS OF THE YEAR
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A&O Shearman
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance
Dechert
Linklaters
Milbank
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Asafo & Co
Bracewell
Clifford Chance
Herbert Smith Freehills
Latham & Watkins
Norton Rose Fullbright
Trinity International -
A&O Shearman
Baker McKenzie
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Hogan Lovells
Linklaters
Norton Rose Fulbright
Watson Farley & Williams
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Ashurst
Bracewell
Clifford Chance
Herbert Smith Freehills
Watson Farley & William
Trinity International -
Baker McKenzie
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
Slaughter and May
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Asafo & Co
Baker McKenzie
Bowmans
Clifford Chance
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Linklaters
Webber Wentzel -
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
ALN Tanzania | A&K Tanzania
Bowmans
ENSafrica
n dowuona & company
Templars
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans Attorneys -
Banwo & Ighodalo
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans Attorneys -
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Bowmans
ENSafrica
G Elias & Co
MDR Advogados
Olaniwun Ajayi
Webber Wentzel
Wigwe and Partners -
ADNA
ALN Nigeria| Aluko & Oyebode
ALN Tanzania | A&K Tanzania
Bowmans
G Elias & Co
Templars
Thiam & Associés
Webber Wentzel -
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel -
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans Attorneys -
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Bowmans
Corpus Legal Practitioners
Dentons ACAS Law
Olaniwun Ajayi
Webber Wentzel -
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
Banwo & Ighodalo
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews
DLA Piper Africa, Kenya (IKM Advocates)
MMC Asafo
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans Attorneys
IN-HOUSE TEAMS OF THE YEAR
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AngloGold Ashanti
BUA Industries
Dangote Industries
Diageo
IHS Towers
M-Kopa
Nigerian Breweries
Pick n Pay -
CrossBoundary
D.light
Engie
ExxonMobil
Mercuria
Oando
Seplat Energy -
Africa Finance Corporation
Afreximbank
Africa Development Bank
Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement
International Finance Corporation
Southern African Trade and Development Bank -
BNP Paribas
Citi
Deutsche Bank
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan
Morgan Stanley
Société Générale
Standard Chartered Bank -
Absa Bank
Attijariwafa Bank
Ecobank
FirstRand
Standard Bank Group
SPECIALIST AWARDS
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ALN
DLA Piper Africa
LEX Africa
Miranda Law Alliance
Morais Leitão Legal Circle
PLMJ Colab
VdA Legal Partners Network -
Bowmans
M-Kopa
Olaniwun Ajayi
Stren & Blan Partners
Webber Wentzel -
Ayotunde Owoigbe – Banwo & Ighodalo
Jackie Midlane – Norton Rose Fulbright
NanaAma Botchway – N Dowuona & Company
Salimatou Diallo – ADNA
Shamilah Grimwood-Norley – Bowmans
Yewande Senbore – Olaniwun Ajayi
Yinka Edu – Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie -
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
Bowmans
BLC Robert & Associates
Kampala Associated Advocates
Moira Mukuka Legal Practitioners
Olaniwun Ajayi
Stren & Blan Partners -
Bowmans Client Dashboard – Bowmans
Lexiwise Project – Afriwise
OA Compli – Olaniwun Ajayi -
Adam Quigley – Bracewell
Aldo Boni De Nobili – Hogan Lovells
Andrew Burleigh – Baker McKenzie
Charlotte Wright – White & Case
Jessica Harries – Slaughter and May
John Thomson – Clifford Chance
Thomas Newlyn – Watson Farley Williams -
Binta Maiga – Thiam & Associés
Charlotte Patrick-Patel – ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
Chisom Okolie – Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Jacques Liebenberg – Bowmans
Liesl Olivier – Webber Wentzel
Obianuju Ifebunandu – Templars
Sophia Sena Berdie – Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
LAW FIRMS OF THE YEAR
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ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
ADNA
Bowmans
ENSafrica
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Webber Wentzel -
ADNA
BAO & Fils
FIDAL
FDKA Avocats
KSK Société d'Avocats
SCP Houda & Associés
Thiam & Associés -
A&O Shearman
Asafo & Co
Clifford Chance
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Gottlieb
Hogan Lovells
Trinity International
Watson Farley & Williams -
A&O Shearman
Baker McKenzie
Bracewell
Clifford Chance
Linklaters
Norton Rose Fulbright
Trinity International
White & Case -
Abreu Advogados
Baker McKenzie
Miranda & Associados
Morais Leitão
PLMJ
VdA - Vieira de Almeida -
ABMAK Associates
CMS Prism (in association with CMS)
Icarus Legal
Mekdes & Associates
MK Partners
Moira Mukuka Legal Practitioners
Stren & Blen Partners
NATIONAL LAW FIRMS OF THE YEAR
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ADNA
Gide Loyrette Nouel
L&P Partners
LPA-CGR avocats -
ALC Advogados
ASP Advogados
Fátima Freitas Advogados, Miranda Law Alliance
PLMJ Colab - RVA Advogados -
ADNA
Asafo & Co
Bile-Aka Brizoua-bi & Associés
CLKA Law Firm
FDKA
KSK Société d'Avocats -
Asafo & Co
Cabinet d'Avocats Petro
Etude Kabinda Avocat -
Aman & Partners
Mehrteab & Getu Advocates
Mesfin Tafesse and Associates -
Addison Bright Sloane
Bentsi-Enchill Letsa & Ankomah
ENSafrica
Kimathi & Partners
JLD & MB Legal Consultancy
N Dowuona & Company -
ADNA
BAO & Fils
Kabele Law Group
Sylla & Partners
Thiam & Associés -
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna
Bowmans Kenya
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews
DLA Piper Africa, Kenya (IKM Advocates)
KN Law
Kaplan and Stratton
Walker Kontos Advocates -
ALN Madagascar | Madagascar Law Offices
Madagascar Conseil International
Lexel Juridique et Fiscal
John W Ffooks & Co
PwC -
ALN Mauritius | BLC Robert & Associates
Benoit Chambers
Bowmans
Dentons
ENSafrica
Juristconsult Chambers -
ADNA
Asafo & Co
Clifford Chance
Naciri & Associés A&O Shearman
Norton Rose Fulbright -
ABCC - Avillex Bacar Duarte & Centeio
Couto Graça e Associados
DLA Piper Africa, Mozambique (SAL & Caldeira)
GDA Advogados
Miranda Law – Pimenta & Associados
MDR Advogados
TTA Advogados -
DLA Piper Africa, Namibia (Ellis Shilengudwa Inc)
Engling Stritter & Partners
ENSafrica Namibia
SNC Incorporated -
ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode
Banwo & Ighodalo
G Elias & Co
Odujinrin & Adefulu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Templars
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie -
ALN Rwanda | K-Solutions & Partners
DLA Piper Africa, Rwanda (Equity Juris Chambers)
ENSafrica
Trust Law Chambers -
Geni & Kebe
Mame Adama Gueye & Partners
SCP François Sarr & Associés
SCP Houda & Associés -
Basma & Macaulay
Edrina Chambers
Lambert & Partners
Stronge Legal
Tejan-Cole Yillah & Partners -
Bowmans
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
ENSafrica
Webber Wentzel
Werksmans Attorneys
White & Case -
ALN Tanzania | A&K Tanzania
Bowmans
Clyde & Co
Dentons EALC East African Law Chambers
DLA Piper Africa, IMMMA Advocates
FB Attorneys -
Abdelly & Associés
Eversheds Sutherland El Heni
Ferchiou & Associés
Global Lawyers North Africa (in partnership with Gide Loyrette Nouel)
Meziou Knani & Khlif -
AF Mpanga Advocates
ALN Uganda | MMAKS Advocates
DLA Piper Africa, Uganda (S&L Advocates)
ENSafrica
Katende Ssempebwa & Company Advocates
Shonubi Mosuke & Co Advocates -
AB & David
ALN Zambia | Musa Dudhia & Co
Corpus Legal Practitioners
Chibesakunda & Company
Moira Mukuka Legal Practitioners
Mulenga Mundashi Legal Practitioners -
AB & David
Atherstone & Cook
DLA Piper Africa, Zimbabwe (Manokore Attorneys)
