Africa: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

This paper examines emerging arbitration and dispute trends in the gas sector, the enforcement challenges faced when striving to enforce arbitral awards against state entities and national oil companies, and lessons from landmark international cases.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Mauritius, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Ghana, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

A Lagos High Court has ruled that estate residents' associations and their security service providers can be held liable in negligence when security protocol failures result in property loss. The judgment establishes critical precedents regarding duty of care, protocol enforcement, and the shared responsibility framework governing gated community security in Nigeria.

South African prescription law is more nuanced than a simple three-year countdown. The critical question is not when an event occurred, but when a claimant possessed sufficient knowledge to recognize they may have a claim—a determination that depends heavily on the specific facts and circumstances of each case.

A private hospital patient's leg amputation following an untreated ruptured aneurysm led to complex medical negligence litigation involving multiple defendants. When the plaintiff's legal team delayed suing a key physician based on a strategic decision to pursue vicarious liability, the court had to determine whether the claim had prescribed under South Africa's three-year limitation period.

A Lagos High Court has ruled that estate residents' associations and their security service providers can be held liable in negligence when security protocol failures result in property loss. The judgment establishes critical precedents regarding duty of care, protocol enforcement, and the shared responsibility framework governing gated community security in Nigeria.

South African prescription law is more nuanced than a simple three-year countdown. The critical question is not when an event occurred, but when a claimant possessed sufficient knowledge to recognize they may have a claim—a determination that depends heavily on the specific facts and circumstances of each case.

This appraisal examines the current procedure for arresting ships in Nigerian waters, exploring the legal framework established by the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act and the 2023 Procedure Rules. It analyzes the practical challenges faced by litigants, ship owners, and courts in enforcing this maritime remedy, while proposing solutions to improve jurisdictional clarity, prevent wrongful arrests, and manage forum tensions in international shipping disputes.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) in the case of Ibex RSA Holdco Ltd and Another v Tiso Blackstar Group (Pty) Ltd and Others 2025 (2) SA 408 (SCA) (“Ibex”)...

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Mauritius, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Ghana, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries