Freshfields Hosts Africa Arbitration Academy for Sixth Consecutive Year

On June 17 2025, Freshfields’ London office proudly hosted the 2025 cohort of the Africa Arbitration Academy (AAA), welcoming 27 mid to senior-level African legal professionals, including in-house and government counsel from across the continent.

Founded in 2019 by Dr. Abayomi Okubote, the Africa Arbitration Academy is a premier training initiative designed to meet the growing demand for enhanced arbitration expertise in Africa. It offers African practitioners a platform to explore current trends and developments in international arbitration.

The Academy’s primary mission is to deliver specialised training to emerging arbitration professionals in Africa, equipping them with essential skills to thrive in the global arbitration community.

This intensive three-week programme combines lectures, mock arbitration sessions, and practical exercises. It also features mentoring sessions where distinguished arbitration experts share career advice and personal insights with participants.

Throughout the programme, attendees engage in team-building activities, networking events hosted by law firms, and simulated arbitration cases including cross-examination. These experiences broaden their understanding of international arbitration and deepen their professional capabilities.

Past Academy sessions have been led by renowned arbitration figures, including academics, practitioners, heads of arbitration institutions, in-house counsel, and judges.

As a founding supporter of the AAA, Freshfields has welcomed over 100 African legal professionals since 2019. Members of the firm’s global international arbitration practice have presented on a wide array of topics including investment treaty arbitration, cross-examination techniques, post-award challenges, and construction disputes, demonstrating Freshfields’ extensive expertise across commercial and investor treaty arbitration.

Freshfields has also hosted esteemed external speakers at the Academy, including Aïssatou Diop, Senior Legal Counsel at ICSID; Professor Joshua Karton, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Law at Queen's University, Ontario; and Ace Ankomah, Senior Partner at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah.

In 2019, Freshfields hosted the Academy’s inaugural mentoring session, where Professor Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab and Mrs. Funke Adekoya SAN shared their career journeys and offered valuable guidance to aspiring and seasoned arbitration professionals. The discussion was moderated by Africa Disputes Head, Sylvia Noury KC.

During last year’s AAA programme, Freshfields was invited to the Annual Lecture and Awards event where Stephanie Mbonu received an Appreciation Award - on behalf of Freshfields - acknowledging the firm’s continued support of the AAA, and recognising its significant contributions to advancing arbitration in Africa. Stephanie also accepted a Sustainability Award on behalf of the Campaign for Greener Arbitration Africa Committee – of which she co-chairs -  recognising the Committee’s efforts in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability in arbitrations taking place across Africa.

Further details on the Africa Arbitration Academy can be found here.