Sullivan
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Africa comprises over 50 diverse emerging market countries existing under differing legal regimes. Many countries have commodity/mineral resources which require financing and across Africa there is a multitude of infrastructure and other project financing requirements. Despite these needs, there is a huge financing deficit across the continent. As a result, the issues and opportunities affecting borrowers and financiers are incredibly wide-ranging and as a firm we are well placed to provide clients with the advice and assistance they need to achieve their objectives. Our Africa practice is predominantly served by the firm’s London office which has over 20 years experience of working across Africa.

We advise banks and non-bank financial institutions, corporates, governments and export credit agencies on a wide variety of emerging market finance activities including in particular in relation to trade and commodity finance, receivables finance, export finance and project finance. Our work covers Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone jurisdictions as well as North Africa and relates to all sectors, including in particular softs/agriculture, oil and metals on the trade and commodity side and, on the projects/infrastructure side, transport (airports and roads), healthcare, mining, social housing, food processing, water treatment, hydro power, energy and off-grid technologies.

With our practice in Africa, we advise on some the most innovative financings in some of the most challenging jurisdictions. Working closely with financial institutions, commercial parties, investors and governments, we are able to provide critical support in structuring transactions and providing effective credit and security enhancement strategies. We also work closely with corporates to ensure that their commercial contracts are workable and, where applicable, are “bankable” and meet ECA (export credit agency) requirements. We also advise on risk management strategies, sanctions as well as regulatory, modern slavery and bribery and corruption issues.

In order to provide our clients with the best service, we work very closely with lawyers on the continent. We have very good relationships with one or more law firms in all of the jurisdictions in which we operate, many of which relationships are longstanding having been built up over decades. In our view, this way of working provides the client with the best possible advice, both locally and from an English law/international cross border perspective.

Tied in with the finance and other work described above which the firm carries out in Africa, we also provide advice to our clients in connection with their dispute resolution and insurance needs on the continent.

Representative Client Work

  • Advised the government of a southern African country in relation to its purchase of a hydro power generating plant project and the related project financing
  • Advised an international bank in relation to a $175 million warehouse and export facility funding the production and export of agricultural products from 11 African jurisdictions
  • Advised exporters, financial institutions and ECAs on ECA direct loan and guaranteed financings across Africa (including Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia) and across sectors (including defence, healthcare, mining and roads)
  • Advised a trade finance fund in relation to multiple soft commodity warehouse financings and pre-export financings in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cameroon
  • Advised African development banks in relation to various financings including:
    • a structured telecoms receivables financing to the national telecoms utility company of Zambia
    • a standby letter of credit facility to an Egyptian borrower for the import of vehicle parts and accessories
    • a term loan facility to a Zimbabwean microfinance bank to fund its trade finance related microfinance business
    • an equipment finance facility to a Sierra Leone borrower for the import of equipment connected with its road construction business backed on government contract receivables
    • a structured term loan financing backed on factored receivables purchased by a Zimbabwean borrower with the facility proceeds
    • a structured revolving loan and standby letter of credit facility to a Ghanaian borrower to finance the purchase and export of cocoa
  • Advised an international bank in relation to a telecoms equipment and services financing for a government owned telecoms utility in East Africa
  • Advised a group of international lenders in relation to a $60 million equipment financing facility to a West African telecommunications company
  • Advised a group of international lenders in relation to a $170 million ECA backed telecommunications export credit and commercial loan facility to a Zambian corporate guaranteed by the Zambian government
  • Advised a sponsor in relation to the project financing of a highly innovative and “disruptive” industrial plant in South Africa to extract high grade precious metals from tailings stockpiles and mineral deposits
  • Advised multiple international lending groups in relation to the financing of oil imports into Kenya through the OTS tendering system backed on oil receivables
  • Advised an East African corporate in relation to a dispute with a major international trader over margin call and sale and purchase obligations under a series of oil contracts.
Sullivan Advises Heath Goldfields In Offtake Agreement and Debt Financing with Trafigura for Bogoso Prestea Mine
London – Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) has advised Heath Goldfields, the Ghanaian mining company revitalising the historic Bogoso–Prestea Gold Mine in Ghana, in signing a landmark gold offtake agreement with Trafigura Pte Ltd, a market leader in the global commodities industry. Under the terms of the offtake agreement, Trafigura has committed to purchase 700,000 ounces of gold doré from the Bogoso–Prestea operation. The agreement secures a long-term sales channel for Heath Goldfields’ production at competitive market-linked terms and provides revenue certainty as the company scales output from the mine. This is one of the most significant gold offtake commitments in West Africa in recent years and marks a major milestone in the Bogoso–Prestea revival programme. Alongside the offtake agreement, Trafigura is providing $65 million in debt financing to support the restart of the mine’s oxide ore operations. The Sullivan team is led by partner Robert Parson and associate Pedro Leake-Bandeira. The firm worked closely with JLD & MB Legal Consultancy in Accra, which advised on local law matters. Robert Parson, leading the Sullivan team advising Heath Goldfields comments: “This transaction secures both commercial certainty and operational flexibility for Heath Goldfields. The offtake with Trafigura establishes a reliable long-term revenue stream, strengthening the project’s bankability as production ramps up. The integration of the $65 million financing alongside the offtake required careful structuring to balance lender protections with operational flexibility. This transaction sets a strong precedent for future resource-backed financing in West Africa.” About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a global law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best in class client service. For further information please visit the firm’s website or LinkedIn.
Sullivan Recognised by Chambers Global 2026 for its Africa-Wide Banking & Finance Work
London, UK – Sullivan & Worcester UK LLP (Sullivan) has been recognised by Chambers Global 2026 in its recently published Africa-wide Banking & Finance table. The firm is noted in the guide for “its strong trade and development finance practice, which is frequently engaged on mandates across Africa [including] several mandates originating in Ghana, with further work in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Côte d'Ivoire.” The guide also notes that significant clients of the firm include “export credit agencies and development banks, as well as global investment banks and non-bank financial institutions.” Clients comment include “Sullivan & Worcester assists us very well. Their responsiveness and ability to meet deadlines is amazing. They are always available;” and with another saying that the firm “has very strong knowledge of the trade and export finance market, and of African economies.” In addition, partners Mark Norris and Simon Cook are included as notable practitioners in the Africa-wide Banking & Finance spotlight section. The guide notes that “London-based Mark Norris is a seasoned practitioner with many years' experience advising on Africa-related transactions in the fields of trade and commodity finance. He is highly praised by sources and regularly acts on behalf of export credit agencies.” One client is quoted as saying that “Mark Norris is a very accomplished finance lawyer in the African market. He has a wealth of experience in export finance.” Simon Cook is noted as “a leading trade and development finance partner. Based in London, he is well known within the market, frequently acting for development banks and multilateral financial institutions.” Further information is available here. Chambers Global ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world. Those recognised by Chambers Global have been recommended by in-house counsel, other third-party experts and private practice lawyers as part of a comprehensive research process. Since 1990, Chambers and Partners has identified and ranked the most outstanding law firms and lawyers in more than 180 jurisdictions worldwide. Chambers bases its listings solely on extensive research and outside evaluations of merit through a rigorous client and competitor interview process.