Aggrey Ernest

Aggrey Ernest is a Senior Associate at A&K Tanzania (formerly ATZ Law Chambers), and regarded as a rising Tanzanian lawyer with particular expertise in oil and gas, energy, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and telecommunications.

Aggrey has acted for and advised numerous entities and individuals on legal and regulatory matters in Tanzania, advising on and assisting in the setting up of appropriate company structures and formation, and related corporate governance and compliance issues. Aggrey has also acted for and advised parties on corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, including on antitrust and competition issues, as well as undertaking detailed due diligence in medium to large transactional investment and take over matters.

Aggrey has been on secondment to Slaughter and May’s London offices as well as Anjarwalla & Khanna’s Nairobi offices, which gives him a strong international viewpoint. He has also been ranked as a Rising Star in IFLR1000 2016 and 2017 (Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms and lawyers).

• The Tanganyika Law Society
• The East African Law Society

2015: LLM in Taxation, University Of Dar Es Salaam (Candidate)

2012: Postgraduate Diploma, Law School Tanzania

2011: LL.B, University of Dar es Salaam

Jun 2019 – Date: Senior Associate, A&K Tanzania

Jan 2019 – May 2019: Senior Associate, ATZ Law Chambers

Jan 2016 – Dec 2018: Principal Associate, ATZ Law Chambers

Apr 2015- May 2015: Secondment Slaughter and May (London)

Jan 2015 – Apr 2015: Secondment Anjarwalla and Khanna Advocates (Nairobi)

Mar 2014 – Dec 2015: Associate, ATZ Law Chambers

Mar 2013 – Feb 2014: Legal Officer, Adept Chambers

Jul 2011 – Sept 2012: Intern, Tanzania Ports Authority

Apr 2012 – Jul 2012: Kings Law Chambers

• Acting as Tanzanian counsel to PT Pertamina Internasional Eksplorasi dan Produksi (“PIEP”), a wholly owned subsidiary of PT Pertamina (Persero) (“Pertamina”), the Indonesian State-owned oil and gas upstream and downstream giant with major LNG interests, on the acquisition of a 24.53 % shareholding in Etablissements Maurel & Prom, a French company listed on Euronext Paris and the subsequent voluntary tender offer by Pertamina for all Maurel & Prom’s shares which was filed and approved by the French Financial Markets Authority.
• Advising on Millicom’s acquisition of an 85% stake in Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel) from Etisalat Group which resulted in Millicom International Cellular becoming the second largest operator in Tanzania (2015/16).
• Acting as Tanzanian counsel to Boundary Holdco Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Helios Investors III, L.P, an Africa-focused private equity firm, on the acquisition of Off Grid Electric Limited, a private limited company incorporated under the laws of Cayman Islands that installs and maintains solar power systems under the Zola (previously M-Power) brand to and for rural households and small businesses.
• Advising MOTA – ENGIL, ENGENHAIRA E CONSTRUḈÃO ÁFRICA, S.A a company incorporated under the laws Portugal that deals in construction of public and private work. Mota – Engil is one of the two companies that won the tender for Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Line from Dar Es Salaam to Morogoro project. The project is worth USD 1.2 billion.
• Acting as Tanzanian counsel to Deere & Company, a public company incorporated under the laws of the United States of America that manufactures agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery; industrial diesel engines, drive trains and certain other components; and lawn care equipment, on the acquisition of Wirtgen Group Holding GmbH (“Wirtgen”), a company incorporated under the laws of Germany, Wirtgen is the leading manufacturer worldwide of road construction equipment. Deere is is a world leader in providing advanced products and services,
• Acting as Tanzanian counsel to Atlas Mara in its acquisition of more than 50.1% shares in ABC Holdings and the entire issue of African Development Corp (ADC), a German listed holding company. Providing regulatory and investment advice, conducting legal due diligence on ABC Tanzania Limited, undertaking procedural matters such as obtaining regulatory approvals from the Fair Competition Authority and Bank of Tanzania.
• Assisting lead counsel in connection with the underwriting of CRDB Bank Tanzania, including involvement in the detailed due diligence process of CRDB Bank Tanzania Limited.
• Advising China Railway RJE Estate in the development of the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation. Involved in the drafting of the Building Operate and Transfer Agreement and the subsequent Lease Agreement in connection with the project.
• Acting for Citibank Tanzania Limited in connection with a USD 65 million bridge facility to Tanesco. Work undertaken included negotiating the term sheet, drafting the facility agreement, drafting the Government Guarantee, legal opinions and liaising with the Attorney General’s Offices.
• Assisting Credit Suisse in relation to its loan facility agreement with the Government of Tanzania, including providing written legal opinions and liaising with the Attorney General’s Offices in order to obtain the AG official written opinion on the matter.
• Advising Shelys Pharmaceutical Tanzania in connection with legal and Regulatory compliance issues in Tanzania.
• Providing comprehensive legal representation to Woodside Energy Limited in its acquisition of 70% of the participating interest in the Lake Tanganyika South onshore oil and gas block. This included conducting a detailed due diligence of the target entity, an extensive review of key transactional documents including the farm out agreement, the deed of assignment of the production sharing agreement, the performance guarantee required to be submitted to the Tanzanian Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), review and advice on the company formation and structure of Woodside Energy (Tanzania) Limited, undertaking Fair Competition Commission filings and obtaining merger clearances, as well as undertaking crucial procedural and administrative functions such as reviewing written representations and applications to the TPDC and Ministry of Energy regarding inter alia, consent for the farm out arrangement, exploration licence periods and practical considerations such as formal identification of the blocks to be relinquished.  Other services included providing generic, but extensive advice on tax liability issues regarding stamp duty and capital gains and adopting a multidisciplinary approach to services rendered including liaising with other professional service providers such as with Deloitte.
• Acting for NECOTRANS Tanzania Ltd in relation to its company set up and its acquisition of its clearing and forwarding licence in Tanzania; involving the provision of advice on company structure and formation, regulatory matters, the drafting of shareholders agreements and assisting the application processes for various licenses submitted to the regulatory authorities.
• Acting for Gras Savoye in connection with the acquisition of Demeter Financial and Insurance Services in Tanzania, involving detailed due diligence, drafting of the share purchase agreements, Fair Competition Commission filings and obtaining merger clearances.
• Advising CRJE (EAST AFRICA) LTD in connection with the construction development of a conference centre in Dodoma, Tanzania and the headquarters of CCM in Dar es Salaam for JTCL Trading Company Limited, which involved negotiating and drafting of the Memorandum of Understanding, undertaking detailed research on the project, preparing and reviewing written representations to the various relevant regulatory authorities and drafting the main sale agreement document.