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Legal market intelligence Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa's legal market, on the record.

Meridian documents the transactions, appointments, rankings and market developments that define legal practice across sub-Saharan Africa. Each record states its source.

Explore the Transactions Tracker
Transactions on record
1,135
Law firms named
175
Sectors
24

New from The Meridian · Free browser game

SILK: The Road to Senior Advocate

An immersive Lagos city simulation about what it takes to take silk. Start as a pupil in Yaba with ₦200,000 and your first brief, then build a practice across Lagos, one hearing at a time.

  • Create your lawyer. Fourteen hairstyles, from 360 waves to gele, and outfits from ankara to agbada.
  • Walk five districts. Yaba, Lagos Island, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki. Catch a danfo, eat at the buka, meet your mentor, your rival and your clients.
  • Argue in court. Choose the strongest submissions on injunctions, contract claims and electronic evidence at the High Court of Lagos State.
  • Rise through six ranks. From Pupil to Senior Advocate, with a public leaderboard for score and earnings.

Competition · closes 23:59 WAT, 16 December 2026

The top three eligible players on the leaderboard share a combined ₦1,000,000 prize pool. Winners determined on 17 December. Rules

Live standings (3 players): 1. Ameh · 1,328   2. Anjiw · 1,126   3. Kemi · 410

Play SILKSee the leaderboardHow to play

Free. Plays on phone or laptop, no download. Characters, firms and cases are fictional; not legal advice.

SILK gameplay: a Yaba street with Mama, Segun the chambers clerk and the danfo bus stop
Yaba, Herbert Macaulay Way
SILK character creator showing a lawyer in a gold gele
Create your lawyer
SILK courtroom at the High Court of Lagos State
High Court of Lagos State

Meridian Lawyer Rankings · live

The lawyers behind the deals

The Rainmakers: partners and senior lawyers ranked on named, sourced roles in deals and disputes over the 24 months to 27 October 2026. Independent directory recognition is scored within a cap and shown separately on each profile.

All 280 ranked lawyers
Rainmakers #1 · 1 overall

Mohamed Abdel Fattah

Partner, Head of Capital Markets, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
Banking and Finance · Capital Markets
6 scored matters · US$147m
Index 100.0Rainmakers #2 · 2 overall

Tamer El Hennawy

Partner, Co-Head of Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
Fintech and Payments · Mergers and Acquisitions
7 scored matters · US$195m
Index 82.5Rainmakers #3 · 3 overall

Desmond Ogba

Partner, TEMPLARS
Energy and Natural Resources · Private Equity and Venture Capital
4 scored matters · US$100m
Index 74.7Rainmakers #4 · 4 overall

Simisola Eyisanmi

Partner, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Banking and Finance · Private Equity and Venture Capital
31 scored matters · US$899.4m
Index 74.2Rainmakers #5 · 5 overall

Zelda Akindele

Partner, TEMPLARS
Banking and Finance · Energy and Natural Resources
4 scored matters · US$24.3m
Index 72.4Rainmakers #6 · 6 overall

Adeleke Alex-Adedipe

Managing Partner, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Mergers and Acquisitions · Project Finance and Infrastructure
41 scored matters · US$9.6bn
Index 71.8Rainmakers #7 · 7 overall

Omar Bassiouny

Founding Partner, Group Head of Corporate and M&A, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
Banking and Finance · Mergers and Acquisitions
8 scored matters
Index 66.6Rainmakers #8 · 8 overall

Oluwaseye Ayinla

Partner, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Mergers and Acquisitions · Project Finance and Infrastructure
17 scored matters · US$8.98bn
Index 66.2

Rising Stars

Associates on the deals

How we rank
Rising Stars #1 · 14 overall

Chukwuebuka Okoli-Akirika

Senior Associate, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Mergers and Acquisitions · Banking and Finance
20 scored matters · US$2.78bn
Index 46.4Rising Stars #2 · 18 overall

Tomiwa Ogunbanwo

Managing Associate, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Banking and Finance · Project Finance and Infrastructure
21 scored matters · US$2.56bn
Index 36.5MIRising Stars #3 · 26 overall

Melody Ibegbulam

Senior Associate, Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Private Equity and Venture Capital · Capital Markets
19 scored matters · US$456m
Index 29.5Rising Stars #4 · 28 overall

Frances Ehigiamusor

Associate, TEMPLARS
Banking and Finance · Project Finance and Infrastructure
3 scored matters · US$1.1bn
Index 27.8

Calculated live from The Meridian's published record. Data last refreshed 27 October 2026, 05:00 WAT; figures also update whenever a record is published or corrected. Evidence window: the 24 months to date.

Transactions Tracker

Latest transactions

View the full tracker

Featured transactions

Largest by value

Chosen by Meridian editors on disclosed value, recency and cross-border significance.

EnergySeptember 2026

US$70bn

Angola: TotalEnergies’ Kaminho project

Kaminho (formerly Cameia-Golfinho, Block 20/11, the first deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin) reached FID in 2024 at a reported c.US$6bn with…

Oil and Gas · Angola

Counsel not public

CorporateJune 2026

US$10bn

Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Namibia)

2021–2026: Hyphen (Nicolas Holdings/ENERTRAG) holds Namibia's Tsau //Khaeb green hydrogen mandate; reports place total investment at c.US$10bn with FID repeatedly deferred pending…

Power and Renewables · Namibia

Counsel not public

M&ASeptember 2026

US$5bn

Anglo American’s sale of 85% of De Beers

Under discussion through 2025–26 as Anglo simplifies ahead of Anglo Teck: structure reported by Bloomberg at ~US$750m upfront + US$250m deferred for…

Mining · Angola, Botswana

Counsel not public

Reporting

Latest intelligence

All reporting
  1. IntelligenceWho owns the brand? Africa’s IP deals, counted once26 Oct 2026
  2. West African IntelligenceEBID approves US$390m for projects in Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo22 Oct 2026
  3. West African IntelligenceGhana announces US$28bn Phase 2 of the Jomoro petroleum hub22 Oct 2026
  4. Legal UpdatesNGX fines 15 listed companies N123.17m for late filings22 Oct 2026
  5. Deals & TransactionsOyedele targets MSCI Emerging Market status for Nigeria, not just Frontier22 Oct 2026

Meridian Africa ranking · October 2026

Top 10 African Law Firms

Ranked by verified market activity

Ranked on transactions recorded on the Meridian Transaction Tracker with a named law firm, across African markets, 27 October 2024 to 27 October 2026. Score = recorded matters plus 0.5 for each additional market, scaled so the leading firm scores 100. This measures public evidence of activity, not the quality of advice.

Markets represented Nigeria Angola Mauritius South Africa Kenya Tanzania Rwanda Uganda Egypt Ethiopia Morocco CĂ´te d'Ivoire

MethodologyFull Africa rankingFull West Africa 50
RankFirmMarketScoreRecorded mattersConfidenceLatest recorded matter
1Aluko & OyebodeNigeria Angola Mauritius100.064HighJoint advice to a state government and guarantor on an annuity PPP expressway
2Duale Ovia & Alex-AdedipeNigeria Mauritius South Africa98.564HighCross-border minority equity investment by a Gulf-based investor in a Nigerian technology company
3BowmansSouth Africa Kenya Tanzania91.756HighTransnet notes issuance
4ENSafricaSouth Africa Rwanda Uganda66.740HighAngloGold Ashanti secondary listing
5Matouk Bassiouny & HennawyEgypt59.139HighInvictus Trading FZE financing
6Webber WentzelSouth Africa Nigeria41.727HighPowerfleet / MiX Telematics acquisition financing
7Anjarwalla & Khanna (ALN Kenya)Kenya Ethiopia Mauritius38.621HighIFC carbon credit-backed forestry bond
8Cliffe Dekker HofmeyrSouth Africa Kenya Rwanda36.421HighDevki Group / National Cement Company acquisition of Cimerwa (Rwanda cement producer)
9Asafo & CoMorocco CĂ´te d'Ivoire Mauritius29.517HighPurple Hedge Resources acquisition of Compagnie Miniere d’Oumejrane from Groupe Managem
10Udo Udoma & Belo-OsagieNigeria South Africa28.018HighLivescore trade mark cancellation in Nigeria

Regional

West Africa

Aluko & Oyebode
Nigeria100.0

Duale Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
Nigeria90.5

Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
Nigeria34.9

East Africa

Anjarwalla & Khanna (ALN Kenya)
Kenya31.4

BLC Robert & Associates (ALN Mauritius)
Mauritius16.9

Kaplan & Stratton
Kenya13.0

Southern Africa

Bowmans
South Africa95.6

ENSafrica
South Africa62.7

Webber Wentzel
South Africa49.1

North Africa

Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
Egypt51.8

Asafo & Co
Morocco26.3

Bennani & Associés
Morocco12.1

Scores use the same evidence and formula as the table above. Full ranking, evidence and methodology

Firms can add evidence through the submission form. Every item is verified before it counts.

Across Africa

The firms and deals on the record, region by region

Sixteen selections across five regions: the highest-ranked African firm in each region and the latest recorded deals outside Nigeria, chosen automatically from the record and never repeated elsewhere on this page.

Transactions Tracker
West Africa · FirmAluko & OyebodeNigeria · 69 recorded matters · Index 100.0 (No. 1 in Africa)West Africa beyond Nigeria · DealGovernment of Ghana domestic debt exchangeGhana · Oct 2026East Africa · FirmAnjarwalla & Khanna (ALN Kenya)Kenya · 21 recorded matters · Index 31.4 (No. 10 in Africa)East Africa · DealCompetition Authority of Kenya approves Cable Experts’ acquisition of 68.37% of East African…Kenya · Oct 2026Southern Africa · FirmBowmansSouth Africa · 59 recorded matters · Index 95.6 (No. 2 in Africa)Southern Africa · DealBII and FMO provide US$52m for Kafue Solar, the first GET FiT project…Zambia · Oct 2026 · US$52mNorth Africa · FirmMatouk Bassiouny & HennawyEgypt · 39 recorded matters · Index 51.8 (No. 5 in Africa)North Africa · DealInvictus Trading FZE financingEgypt · Oct 2026Central Africa · FirmJing & PartnersCameroon · 1 recorded matters · Index 3.3 (No. 51 in Africa)Central Africa · DealQair’s Chad solar projects reach financial close and first disbursementChad · Oct 2026 · €37.9mWest Africa · FirmDuale Ovia & Alex-AdedipeNigeria · 68 recorded matters · Index 90.5 (No. 3 in Africa)West Africa beyond Nigeria · DealAngloGold Ashanti secondary listingGhana · Oct 2026East Africa · FirmBLC Robert & Associates (ALN Mauritius)Mauritius · 11 recorded matters · Index 16.9 (No. 15 in Africa)East Africa · DealAdvice to a credit fund on a bank recapitalisation related term loanMauritius · Oct 2026Southern Africa · FirmENSafricaSouth Africa · 41 recorded matters · Index 62.7 (No. 4 in Africa)Southern Africa · DealAdvice to an oil company on a joint venture to acquire offshore African…Angola · Oct 2026

Africa IP Rankings · live

Ranked on the record, not the reputation.

IP firms ranked on the patent, trade mark and copyright matters on our record, and where those matters are happening.

Full IP ranking and database

68 IP records on the database: 33 commercial transactions · 8 filings, registrations and prosecution · 15 disputes and enforcement · 5 judgments and rulings · 1 regulatory and policy · 6 advisory mandates.

Where IP matters happen

Count of recorded IP matters by market, past 24 months

Nigeria20
South Africa19
Egypt9
Kenya9
Ghana5
Uganda3
Tanzania2
Senegal2

Calculated live from The Meridian's published record. Data last refreshed 27 October 2026, 05:00 WAT; figures also update whenever a record is published or corrected. Evidence window: the 24 months to date.

Market notes

What is actually driving mandates, market by market

Meridian notes are revised as the tracker changes. Counts show transactions on record in the last 12 months.

Africa market coverage

Nigeria

114 tracked

Recapitalisation-driven financial-services work, Free Zone equity listings and a deepening domestic bond market. Domestic firm panels are getting larger, not smaller.

South Africa

18 tracked

The continent's most sophisticated legal market and the most exposed to global commodity cycles. Canal+ and MultiChoice and Anglo American and Teck both ran through Johannesburg counsel.

Egypt

41 tracked

State privatisation and data-centre capital are the two mandate engines. Egyptian counsel are increasingly a discrete workstream rather than managed from London.

Ghana

11 tracked

A reported US$19.9bn transaction alongside thin equity capital markets volume. Deep in talent and shallow in flow, a mismatch that favours firms with referral networks.

Kenya

17 tracked

Pan-African private equity's default East African venue, and the bridge jurisdiction for Ethiopian capital-markets work.

Morocco

24 tracked

Casablanca equity capital markets have reopened and domestic funds are originating deals without international sponsors.

Francophone Africa

26 tracked

OHADA-zone deal flow is growing and is rarely covered by Anglophone directories. Meridian tracks it as a market in its own right.

Mauritius

0 tracked

The structuring jurisdiction of record. Its Harare Protocol entry in August 2025 also made it an ARIPO filing option for patents and designs.

Read the analysis behind the notes

For in-house counsel

Choose counsel on evidence, not on brand.

Meridian gives you verified mandate records, firm profiles and named counsel across 49 jurisdictions.

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Law Firms & Lawyers

Sixty-eight new silks, with a pointed warning

Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun swore in 68 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on 12 October and told them the rank places no one beyond…

17 Oct 20261 min read

Commerce

Business & law

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Senior Advocates of Nigeria · Class of 2026

The 68 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria

Sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, at the Supreme Court in Abuja on 12 October 2026, at the special session opening the 2026/2027 legal year. The Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee approved the list at its 174th plenary on 23 July.

  • 68new silks conferred
  • 67 + 1advocates, plus one academic
  • 12 Octsworn in, 2026/2027 legal year
  • 174thLPPC plenary approved the list

The rank, the Chief Justice told the new silks, places no one above accountability: it is a call to leadership, humility and ethical conduct.Paraphrased from the CJN's address, as reported by Channels Television

68 of 68
  • FAFaruk AbdullahAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • IAIbrahim Gamdeh AdamuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SASabiu Gumba AdamuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAdebayo Olugbenga AdaralegbeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • GAGbemiga AdaramolaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAfees Hassan AdebayoAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAdenrele David AdegborioyeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • IAIgonikon Abiola AdekunleAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OAOlamide Mojigbotoluwa AdekunleAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MAMohammed Abiodun AdelodunAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAdebisi Emmanuel AdeniyiAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAdetunji Taiwo Adedoyin AdeniyiAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAdebiyi Alaba AdetosoyeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • HAHakeem Obafemi AgabaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JAJames Eromosele AgbonheseAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OAOlugbenga Olusanya AjalaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MAMustapha Olayinka AjenifujaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • BABolu Agbaje AkadriAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AAAyobamidele Oyekunle AkandeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • EAEmmanuel Akunke AkomayeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MAMas'ud Mobolaji AlabeleweAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OAOluwaseun Asimiyu AlaoAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OAOlujoke Enitan AliuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OAOliver Onyenucheya AmuzieAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MAMitchel Akinrinsola AribisalaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • BABimbo Felix AtilolaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OBOlalekan Lawrence Bade-JohnAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OBOgunmuyiwa Olayinka BalogunAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • PDPhilemeon Audu DaffiAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • NENnaemeka Francis Patrick EgonuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • IEIkhide EhigheluaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AEAgba EimunjezeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • EEEmmanuel Eghiegba EkhasemomheAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OEOkechukwu Steve EmeliezeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • IEIfeanyi Godwin EzeukoAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OFOlawale Sunday FapohundaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SISenior Sulyman IbrahimAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SISarafa Kolawole IdowuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SISadiku Momoh IlegieunoAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AIAnthony Auditz IroagalachiAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SJSomina Peter JohnbullAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • ALAkorede Habeeb LawalAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JMJonathan Akintola MakindeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JMJunaidu Bello MarshallAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MMMohammed Tajudeen MohammedAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AMAlexander Nduka MuokaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • CNChristian Nnadozie NwokorieAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SOSunday Samuel ObendeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • NOProf. Nnamdi Onyeka ObiaraeriAcademic · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • COCharles Azubuike ObodozieAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OOOdion Peter OdiaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JOJude Chukwuemeka OkaforAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JOJimson Ejovi OkodasoAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OOOnome OkodiyaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • JOJoshua Demilade OlaniyanAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • AOAdebayo Folorunsho OlogeAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OOOlaotan Thomas OlusegunAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • EOEric Keme-Egolukumor OmareAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • KOKayode Orire OmosehinAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MOMoses Okoh OnyilokwuAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SOSoibi Ideriah OviaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • DODarlington Nnabuike OzurumbaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • OSOlajide SalamiAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • MSMohammed El-Hassan SheriffAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • SSSagir Gezawa SuleimanAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • CUChinedum Ikenna UmecheAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • GUGodwill Achibong UmohAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
  • UYUmaru YunusaAdvocate · Senior Advocate of Nigeria
The swearing-inSixty-eight new silks, with a pointed warningAnalysisThree routes to silk: Nigeria’s 68 new SANs, set beside Kenya and South AfricaInside the classThe New Silks: Inside Nigeria’s 2026 SAN class

SILK: The Road to Senior Advocate

An interactive journey through the briefs, career choices and reputation that lead to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Play SILK

Local and international

Partner Events

All events

Selected by Meridian editors for their value to lawyers, general counsel and executives working in West African markets. Dates verified with each organiser.

26–27 Oct 2026

Local

32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #32)

Transcorp Hilton, Abuja and online
Nigerian Economic Summit Group

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group's annual public-private policy dialogue; its signals shape the regulatory agenda clients will ask about.

Details

27–29 Oct 2026

Local

Nigeria Energy 2026

Landmark Centre, Lagos
Nigeria Energy

West Africa's main power and energy exhibition returns to Lagos, bringing together the regulators, developers and financiers that energy and project finance lawyers advise.

Details

4–6 Nov 2026

Local

CIArb Nigeria Branch Annual Conference 2026

EUI Centre, Port Harcourt
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria Branch

The Nigeria Branch's annual conference for arbitrators and disputes counsel, relevant to anyone handling commercial or investor-state disputes.

Details

12–14 Nov 2026

Regional

6th AfSNET Investment Conference

Calabar International Convention Centre, Calabar
Afreximbank, with Cross River State, the Nigeria Governors' Forum and FoSIPAN

Sub-sovereign borrowing, state PPPs and trade finance in one room: core for counsel advising Nigerian states and their lenders.

Details

18–22 Nov 2026

Local

AWLA International Conference 2026

Palms by Eagles, Airport, Accra
African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) International

The African Women Lawyers Association brings judges, lawyers and policymakers to Accra for five days on legal reform and gender equity in the profession.

Details

10 Feb 2027

In-house

GC Forum Extractives 2027

UCT Graduate School of Business, Cape Town
Africa Legal

General counsel from mining and energy companies meet the week of Mining Indaba: the best room for in-house relationships in extractives.

Details

Submissions

Have a transaction to put on the record?

Meridian tracks significant transactions across sub-Saharan Africa. Law firms can submit completed transactions for editorial consideration.

Submit a TransactionHow we review submissions
  1. 01

    Submit

    Share the deal, the parties and your firm's role. It takes around ten minutes.

  2. 02

    Editorial review

    Editors check the details against public sources and may contact you with questions.

  3. 03

    Decision

    Selected transactions are published in the tracker and may inform Meridian reporting and rankings.

Submission does not guarantee publication, inclusion or recognition. Meridian decides independently what it publishes.

Every Thursday at 11:00 AM

The Meridian Briefing

A concise read on sub-Saharan African deals, mandates and market moves, for the people who act on them.

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