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Africa

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Vinson & Elkins has a long-standing reputation for advising on Africa-related oil and gas transactions, energy projects, and disputes — and our market-leading lawyers have advised on numerous landmark transactions and projects — in almost every African country.

Our significant African experience has historically focused primarily on the energy industry, including oil and gas, power, and LNG and we continue to advise on some of the most high profile transactions in the African energy market. We also have a significant track record of advising clients involved in the telecommunications, infrastructure, and mining and minerals sectors — with substantial knowledge of mergers and acquisitions (acting on both the buy and the sale side), acquisition and project financing (acting for both lenders and borrowers), and joint-venture project development.

The rich and diverse experience we have in Africa means that we have a deep understanding of the commercial and legal developments in the region, as well as the risks, rewards, and considerations to bear in mind when dealing with African markets. This experience means that we are able to bring multiple legal disciplines to each Africa-related assignment, including energy, project, and development finance; mergers and acquisitions; private equity, and corporate finance; and international disputes. V&E lawyers in each of these practice areas have significant experience on the ground advising on African matters.

Having advised clients across the continent for more than 20 years, we have developed close relationships with local legal communities, and have a deep understanding of the local regulatory, political, and cultural issues that arise across Africa.

Experience Highlights

  • Equinor (formerly Statoil) on the sale of its Nigerian subsidiary, including its share in the giant Agbami oil field (Nigeria’s largest deep-water field), to Chappal Energies for a total value of up to $1.2 billion, including a purchase price of $710 million and additional contingent payments; the landmark deal marked Equinor’s complete exit from Nigeria

  • Woodside on its approximately $430 million acquisition of the assets of ConocoPhillips in Senegal

  • Africa Oil Corp. on the successfully completed sale to TotalEnergies (Maersk Oil & Gas) of 50% of Africa Oil Corp’s interests in upstream oil and gas blocks located in Kenya, and in the Rift Basin and South Omo in Ethiopia, for an aggregate consideration of up to $845 million; Named Oil & Gas Council’s African Deal of the Year 2015

  • Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation with its $8 billion+ acquisition of Addax Petroleum Corporation, a Canadian company publicly traded on the Toronto and London Stock Exchanges, with assets in West Africa, including Nigeria and Gabon, and the Middle East

  • Devon Energy on the $2.2 billion sale of oil and gas assets in Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, and Nigeria

  • An African telecom infrastructure company on the acquisition and leaseback of telecom towers in various African countries (e.g. Chad, Congo – Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Gabon, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda), together with related equity investment and build-to-suit arrangements

  • A large international mining company in connection with the development and financing of a multi-billion dollar integrated iron ore, rail, and port project in West Africa

  • A Dutch construction contractor in a dispute over a road project in West Africa

  • Representing a London-seated ICC arbitration involving a claim by a UK company working in Africa in various sectors in a claim for damages for breach of an exploration, production, and licensing agreement for oil exploration in South Sudan

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