We assist international clients whose Government MOU agreements, African project documents, mining arrangements, gold and commodities transactions, infrastructure projects or government-backed investment agreements have been breached, ignored, delayed, terminated, politically frustrated or commercially undermined.
Government MOUs and public-sector project agreements can involve ministries, state agencies, public authorities, government-linked companies, regulators, concession bodies and sovereign counterparties. When those arrangements fail, international clients may need urgent legal, commercial and strategic support to preserve evidence, assess remedies, protect their investment and prepare for negotiation, arbitration, settlement or tribunal proceedings.
A Government MOU breach in Africa can create serious financial, operational and political consequences for international investors. In many cases, clients have already invested significant time, capital, technical work, introductions, logistics, travel, advisory fees, due diligence, equipment, financing arrangements or commercial resources before the government counterparty changes position, delays approvals, grants competing rights, refuses to proceed or fails to honour key commitments.
We help clients assess whether the breached Government MOU, project agreement, concession framework, mining arrangement, gold transaction, commodities contract, infrastructure agreement or public-private partnership gives rise to a claim for damages, compensation, specific performance, settlement, arbitration or treaty-based protection.
Our support may involve UK-trained lawyers, locally trained African lawyers, former government professionals, arbitration counsel, sector specialists and trusted contacts across the relevant jurisdiction. This combination allows clients to understand not only the legal position, but also the government process, political context, enforcement risks and practical route to recovery.
When a Government MOU Breach May Arise
A Government MOU or government-backed project arrangement may be breached or frustrated where:
A ministry or state agency refuses to honour agreed terms; a government body signs an MOU and later grants the same opportunity to another party; the client is denied promised access, licences, permits or approvals; exclusivity is ignored; a gold, commodities, mining or infrastructure project is delayed without justification; a concession or project right is withdrawn; payment or delivery obligations are not met; a public authority changes position after the client has incurred costs; the government counterparty acts outside the agreed framework; political interference prevents performance; a new administration refuses to recognise prior commitments; or the client’s investment is damaged by regulatory, administrative or sovereign action.
How We Assist International Clients
We can assist with:
Reviewing the breached Government MOU or project agreement; identifying whether the document is binding, partly binding or commercially enforceable; assessing the authority of the ministry, agency or government signatory; reviewing correspondence, evidence, approvals, licences and representations; identifying breach, misrepresentation, bad faith, expropriation or unfair treatment issues; advising on negotiation strategy; preparing legal letters and notices of dispute; coordinating local counsel; engaging arbitration counsel where required; assessing treaty protection and investor-state remedies; supporting settlement discussions; preparing for mediation, arbitration or tribunal proceedings; advising on enforcement risk; and helping clients protect their commercial and political position.
Arbitration, Tribunals and High-Value Disputes
Where negotiation is not enough, Government MOU and African project disputes may require international arbitration, investment treaty claims, commercial arbitration, expert determination, mediation, or proceedings before international tribunals.
Depending on the project documents, treaties, governing law and dispute resolution clause, potential routes may include ICSID arbitration, UNCITRAL arbitration, ICC arbitration, LCIA arbitration, OHADA-related proceedings, local court proceedings, regional enforcement strategy, bilateral investment treaty claims, contractual damages claims or negotiated sovereign settlement.
We work with appropriate legal and arbitration specialists to help clients assess the strongest route, preserve their claim and pursue a commercially realistic outcome.
Experience and Network
Our wider network includes UK-trained and locally trained lawyers, professionals with government experience, African jurisdiction specialists, arbitration lawyers, commercial advisors and sector contacts across the continent.
This is particularly important in African government disputes, where legal rights, political realities, administrative processes, local law, sovereign conduct and enforcement strategy must be considered together.
We assist clients involved in high-value and complex matters, including disputes concerning gold, commodities, mining, infrastructure, energy, logistics, agriculture, concessions, public-private partnerships and major cross-border investment projects.
Countries Covered
We can assist with Government MOU breach, African government contract disputes and arbitration-related strategy across major African jurisdictions, depending on the relevant country, project documents, sector and dispute structure.
This may include Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Mozambique, Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, The Gambia, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Ghana, Sierra Leone and West Africa
We have particular familiarity with government-facing commercial issues in West Africa, including Ghana and Sierra Leone, where international investors may face challenges involving mining, gold, natural resources, commodities, infrastructure, public authorities, state agencies, concessions, permits, licences and government-backed project commitments.
Clients operating in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and other West African jurisdictions should seek early advice before accepting delay, termination, renegotiation or informal assurances from a government counterparty.
