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Africa Law Practice International (ALPi), one of the continent’s leading legal and professional service networks, has strengthened its presence in Francophone West Africa with the induction of Effi & Associés, a notable Abidjan-based business law firm, as its tenth member.
The onboarding ceremony held at Effi & Associés’ Abidjan office recently, marks a defining step in ALPi’s Pan-African expansion drive. With this partnership, the network now operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Namibia, Mauritius, and Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting its ambition to build a borderless legal platform for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) era.
Welcoming the new entrant, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), Senior Partner at ALP Nigeria, described the development as a major leap forward in ALPi’s integration strategy.
“Getting one of the most highly regarded lawyers in Francophone Africa, Serge Effi, and his firm, Effi & Associés, to join the ALPi Practice Group is fantastic news for us and our clients across the ten African Union member states where we now operate,” he said.
“Serge’s cross-border experience and the bilingual strength of Effi & Associés expand our capacity to deliver value in both civil and common law systems. This step reinforces our vision of building a Pan-African platform tailored for the AfCFTA era and for truly unlocking African enterprise.” Also commenting, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Senior Partner at ALP Ghana, said the move aligns with the network’s mission to support clients as Africa moves toward a unified market.
“Africa is rapidly becoming a single market, where clients—from multinationals to SMEs—are expanding across borders. Having Effi & Associés as part of the ALPi family strengthens our ability to serve them seamlessly and with deep regional insight,” he noted.
In his remarks, Dr. Serge Effi, Managing Partner of Effi & Associés, expressed enthusiasm about joining the alliance.
“We are delighted to be part of this Pan-African law family. The partnership enhances our ability to deliver coordinated, high-quality legal services across jurisdictions. This is precisely where Africa is headed—toward stronger integration and professional collaboration,” he said.
Uyi Giwa-Osagie, Partner at ALP Nigeria, added that the partnership would enhance trade, legal cooperation, and investment relations between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, two major economies driving growth in West Africa.
