ASAFO & CO. U.S.

What ASAFO & CO. U.S. does

ASAFO & CO. is an international law firm founded in 2019 and headquartered in Paris, dedicated exclusively to Africa-related business. The firm operates across 8 offices spanning North, South, East and West Africa (Abidjan, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Mombasa, Nairobi), the United Kingdom (London, via the ASAFO & CO. CTL tie-up effective June 2026), and the United States (Washington DC), with a combined headcount of approximately 180 legal professionals, 80% of whom are physically based in Africa. The firm is led by Managing Partner Pascal Agboyibor and structured as a network of independently owned entities operating under local partnership forms (AARPI in France, SARL in Morocco, Pty in South Africa, LLP in the US).

The firm generates revenue exclusively through professional legal fees charged to enterprises, governments, sovereigns, and financial institutions on a per-matter basis. Its core offering is sector-specialized legal advisory across Africa's key economic sectors: mining and critical minerals, energy and power (including renewables and oil & gas), infrastructure and transportation, banking and insurance, private equity, agribusiness, and telecommunications. Practice expertise spans M&A and private equity, project finance and project development (including PPPs), capital markets and sovereign borrowing, regulatory and public affairs, real estate, intellectual property, and dispute resolution and international arbitration under ICC, LCIA, HKIAC, and ICSID rules. The firm's go-to-market is enterprise field sales: partners and senior lawyers directly cultivate and serve clients on high-value, complex mandates.

ASAFO & CO.'s competitive positioning rests on its pan-African physical footprint, its multilingual and multicultural team covering both common law and civil law jurisdictions across anglophone and francophone Africa, and its deep sector specialization. The firm has grown aggressively via organic office openings (Johannesburg and Casablanca in 2019, Washington DC in 2021) and through strategic combinations, including the 2020 tie-up with Lawtons Africa in South Africa, the February 2026 full merger with Stork Avocats in Paris, and the June 2026 tie-up with London/Edinburgh-based Castletown Law, which added UK capability and energy/infrastructure expertise including nuclear, offshore wind, and renewables.

Name

ASAFO & CO. U.S.

Legal name

ASAFO & CO.

Website

https://asafoandco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ASAFO & CO. is an international law firm headquartered in Paris with 180 lawyers across 8 offices in Africa, Europe, and the US, providing sector-specialized legal advisory on M&A, project finance, mining, energy, and dispute resolution exclusively for Africa-related business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Legal Advisory Services

NAICS

Management of Companies and Enterprises (55111)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG), Cross-Border M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAH), M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side) (BPAHADAC)

Keywords

• International legal advisory
• Cross-border transactions
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Project finance law
• International arbitration

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: ASAFO & CO. generates revenue through professional legal fees charged to corporations, governments, investment funds, financial institutions, and private equity firms for advisory on M&A, private equity, project finance, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters across Africa.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ASAFO & CO. is an international law firm providing specialized legal advisory services to governments, corporations, investment funds, financial institutions, and private equity firms across Africa. Core offerings span sector-focused advice in mining, energy and power, infrastructure, oil and gas, banking and insurance, agribusiness, and telecommunications, combined with practice-area expertise in M&A and private equity, project finance, project development and PPP, capital markets, regulatory affairs, dispute resolution, and international arbitration under ICC, LCIA, HKIAC, and ICSID rules.

Product overview

ASAFO & CO. is a pan-African international law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal advisory services rather than a technology product. The firm provides sector-specific legal expertise across Africa's key economic sectors (Innovation/Technology/Telecommunications, Agribusiness, Banking & Insurance, Private Equity, Infrastructure/Transportation/Logistics, Mining, Energy & Power, and Oil & Gas) combined with practice-area expertise spanning Regulatory and Public Affairs, Real Estate, Intellectual Property, Banking/Finance/FinTech, Project Finance, Project Development & PPP, General Corporate, Capital Markets & Sovereign Borrowing, M&A/Private Equity & Funds, and Dispute Resolution & International Arbitration. The firm's service model combines sophisticated local advice with international experience across French-speaking and English-speaking African jurisdictions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Advisory Services — Sector Specializations Specialized legal advisory services across Africa's key economic sectors — including Innovation/Technology/Telecommunications, Agribusiness, Banking and Insurance, Private Equity, Infrastructure/Transportation/Logistics, Mining, Energy and Power, and Oil and Gas — for governments, corporations, investment funds, and financial institutions.
• Legal Advisory Services — Practice Areas Cross-sector legal expertise spanning practice areas including Regulatory and Public Affairs, Real Estate, Intellectual Property, Banking/Finance/FinTech, Project Finance, Project Development and PPP, General Corporate, Capital Markets and Sovereign Borrowing, M&A/Private Equity and Funds, and Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration.
• Dispute Resolution and International Arbitration Handling of disputes before national courts, community courts of justice, regulatory bodies, and international arbitral tribunals, covering both commercial and investment arbitrations under ICC, LCIA, HKIAC, and ICSID rules.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 partners featured in 100 Legal Powerlist 2026, with Managing Partner Pascal Agboyibor named Lawyer of the Year for 5th consecutive year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Castletown Law (CTL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Effective 01 June 2026, Asafo & Co. entered into a tie-up with Castletown Law (CTL), a team of energy and infrastructure specialists based in London and Edinburgh. Going forward, CTL operates under the name Asafo & Co. CTL. The tie-up adds UK law capability and sector-specific experience across energy disciplines including oil and gas, nuclear, offshore wind, onshore renewables, battery storage, thermal power, and hydro. The team also brings experience in construction and engineering matters, with particular depth in nuclear energy. Led by Andrew Renton, former engineer and seasoned nuclear energy and infrastructure lawyer.
• Stork AvocatscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026Full merger with Stork Avocats marked by the arrival of the Stork team at ASAFO & CO.'s Paris office. The combination strengthens the firms' standing in major projects and transformative transactions across Africa, particularly in French-speaking Africa. Nicolas Jean (founder) joins alongside partners Perrine Delandre and Aurélien de Castéja plus two associates. Nicolas Jean will join the firm's global governance team. Stork Avocats' expertise in project development (real estate and urban planning), structured finance, and public sector reform further complements ASAFO & CO.'s capabilities.
• Lawtons AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2020Landmark tie-up combining Asafo & Co.'s pan-African platform with Lawtons Africa's South African presence. Resulted in a combined team of 180 legal professionals across 7 offices (6 Asafo & Co. offices plus Lawtons Africa Johannesburg). The combined South African team comprises 70 legal professionals. Both firms' clients benefit from pooled strengths in corporate/M&A, private equity, financing, projects, dispute resolution, real estate, oil & gas, energy/power, anti-trust, and employment. The tie-up positions the firm as a distinct alternative for businesses seeking legal support in Africa at domestic and international levels.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Baker McKenzie: Global law firm with longstanding Africa practice focused on energy, mining, and inbound FDI. Competes for large-cap, multi-jurisdictional Africa mandates though typically at higher price points.
• White & Case: Global firm with one of the most active Africa practices, particularly in energy, mining, and infrastructure project finance. Directly competes for major African sponsor and DFI-led mandates.
• Linklaters: Global Magic Circle firm with established Africa practice in finance, energy, and M&A. Competes with ASAFO on large-cap transactions and sovereign/Dfi mandates, particularly in francophone Africa.
• Hogan Lovells: Global firm with substantial Africa practice across energy, infrastructure, and finance. Competes with ASAFO on cross-border M&A and DFI-backed transactions.
• Clifford Chance: Magic Circle firm with significant Africa practice, particularly in energy, mining, and project finance. Competes for the largest cross-border Africa mandates though lacks ASAFO's depth of on-the-ground African lawyer presence.
• DLA Piper: Global law firm with Africa operations and DLA Piper Africa network. Overlapping coverage in corporate/M&A and project finance across the continent, with broader international firepower.

Direct peers

• ALN Africa Legal Network: Pan-African network of independent law firms operating across Anglophone and Francophone Africa. Closest peer model to ASAFO's multi-jurisdictional platform, particularly in private equity and project finance mandates.
• Bowmans: Major African law firm with offices across the continent (South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Zambia, Mauritius). Direct competitor in pan-African M&A, PE, project finance, and dispute resolution with comparable tier-1 institutional client base.
• Webber Wentzel: Leading South African law firm and core member of the DLA Piper Africa network. Competes directly in cross-border Africa M&A, energy, mining, and finance mandates with similar institutional client focus.

Regional players

• Anjarwalla & Khanna (ALN Kenya): Top-tier Kenyan law firm and ALN member competing with ASAFO's East Africa practice on corporate, PE, and dispute resolution matters across the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/asafo-co

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASAFO & CO. U.S.