African Legal Updates | Latest African Law Changes

Skip the Clause, Lose the Case: High Court Enforces Mandatory ADR Clauses Before Litigation

In Ally Juma Said & Another v Hassan Abubakar & Others, Land Case No. 29595/2025, High Court of Tanzania, Land Division, at Dar es Salaam, GWAE, J | 8 June 2026, the High Court (Land Division) reaffirmed the principle that parties who voluntarily agree to mediation, arbitration, or other dispute resolution mechanisms must comply with those procedures before resorting to court proceedings.

The decision serves as an important reminder that contractual dispute resolution clauses are not mere boilerplate provisions. Failure to comply with agreed pre-litigation procedures may result in a claim being struck out, regardless of its merits.

The ICC Arbitration Rules of 2026

INTRODUCTION

The International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) has revised its 2021 Arbitration Rules through the introduction of the ICC Arbitration Rules of 2026 (the “2026 Rules”), which came into force on 1 June 2026. The amendments are intended to improve the efficiency, transparency, and practical operation of ICC arbitrations in response to the evolving needs of users and recent developments in international arbitration practice. The 2026 Rules introduce new procedural mechanisms and refine existing provisions to facilitate more effective case management, streamline arbitral proceedings, and enhance procedural clarity, while preserving the flexibility and party autonomy that remain hallmarks of ICC arbitration.

Ghana’s New Investment Promotion Authority Bill & AfCFTA

Ghana has reformed its investment laws with the passage of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) Bill, 2026. Once assented to by the President, the law will replace the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act, 2013, and establish the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA).

ALN Ghana recently published a detailed update on the Bill’s key changes and their practical implications for investors and businesses in, or expanding into, Ghana.

New Tax Identifier System To Replace Tax Identification Numbers (TINS)

On 21 May 2026, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) issued a Public Notice on the rolling out of the new tax identifier reforms. The current Tax Identification Number (TIN) system is set to be replaced by the National Identification Number (NIN) for individuals, and the Business Registration Number (BRN) for non-individuals. In the Public Notice, both individuals and non – individuals are required to update their tax registration details to reflect their NIN, BRN, or foreign TIN, as applicable.

The Protection of Sovereignty Act, 2026

The Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 (Bill No. 13 of 2026) (the “Bill”) was gazetted on 13th April 2026 and first tabled in Parliament on 15th April 2026.

Registration and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards in Zambia: The Interplay Between the Registrar, the Judge and the Appellate Court

INTRODUCTION

The efficacy of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism depends, in large measure, on the enforceability of arbitral awards. An award that cannot be expeditiously converted into practical relief risks diminishing arbitration into an elaborate prelude to litigation. For this reason, modern arbitration regimes, including Zambia’s Arbitration Act, are deliberately structured around finality, minimal curial intervention and the efficient enforcement of awards.

The Employment (Amendment) Act, 2025 – What Every Employer Needs to Know

The President of Uganda assented to the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2025 (the “Employment (Amendment) Act”) on 29th April 2026. This alert summarizes the key changes introduced by this legislation, provides commentary on the policy context that informed the amendments, and outlines practical steps employers should take to ensure compliance.

Analysis of the Tax Changes Proposed by the Finance Bill, 2026

The Finance Bill, 2026 (the Bill) has been published and proposes to make a raft of amendments to tax laws in Kenya, specifically the Income Tax Act (Chapter 470, Laws of Kenya), the Value Added Tax Act, 2013, the Tax Procedures Act, 2015, the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act, 2016, the Excise Duty Act, 2015, the Stamp Duty Act.

From Nairobi to Paris: The Defence Cooperation Agreement & the Future of the France-Kenya Partnership

On 29 October 2025, in a ceremony at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, the Honourable Roselinda Soipan Tuya, and France’s Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Arnaud Suquet, signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement (the DCA) that marks a significant moment in a bilateral relationship that, while active in practice, had until now lacked any formal legal framework to govern it.

The DCA establishes that framework, covering joint training and maritime security, intelligence cooperation and peacekeeping. It is a carefully drafted instrument, measured in its immediate scope but consequential in what it signals about the trajectory of the relationship.

East African Court of Justice Moves to Protect Market Access in Landmark Match Masters Ruling

On 30 April 2026, the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) granted interim relief in Match Masters Limited v The Attorney General of the United Republic of Tanzania, stopping the Tanzania Revenue Authority from levying, collecting or enforcing excise duty on safety matches imported into Tanzania from Kenya, while identical locally manufactured products remained exempt. Excise duty on imported safety matches was introduced by the Finance Act, 2025, effective 1 July 2025, at a rate of TZS 400 per kilogram.