Welcome to the latest edition of the LEX Africa newsletter, highlighting key achievements, insights, and developments across Africa’s legal landscape. This month, we explore key developments shaping Africa’s legal landscape, from Uganda’s first data protection conviction and directors’ duties in Lesotho, to Ghana’s 2025 Legal Outlook and Kenya’s company dissolution process. We also spotlight Dawit Kidane, Managing Partner of DABLO Law Firm in Ethiopia, and share our Guide to Doing Business in Africa, your trusted resource for navigating the continent’s diverse markets.
Latest News
Uganda’s first data protection conviction
Uganda has handed down its first criminal conviction under the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019, marking a watershed moment for digital privacy in Africa. The case against a digital lender highlights that personal data misuse now carries real criminal consequences, reshaping compliance obligations for businesses and strengthening protections for individuals. With regional implications for East Africa’s rapidly growing digital economy, this precedent signals that data protection is no longer optional, it’s enforceable.
Lesotho Corporate Guardianship
Company directors in Lesotho carry weighty responsibilities that go far beyond boardroom formality. Under the Companies Act 2011 and common law, directors are entrusted with fiduciary duties, obligations of care, skill, and diligence, and collective accountability as a board. Breaches can result in civil or criminal liability, disqualification, and personal exposure to claims.
This article unpacks the statutory framework, fiduciary principles, and governance standards, including the Mohlomi Code, that shape directors’ duties, offering a clear guide to what it takes to steer companies responsibly and ethically.
Ghana’s 2025 Legal and Regulatory Outlook
Ghana enters 2025 at a pivotal moment of legal and economic transformation. Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah’s 2025 Legal and Regulatory Outlook examines how the recent change in government, global market dynamics, and policy reforms are reshaping key sectors, from financial institutions and corporate commercial law to energy, infrastructure, and civil litigation. This edition not only reviews Ghana’s evolving legal landscape but also reflects on how 2024 projections have unfolded, offering valuable insight into the trends and challenges that will define the year ahead.
How Companies Officially Cease to Exist in Kenya
What does it really mean for a company to “cease to exist”? Our latest article, Pulling the Plug: How Companies Officially Cease to Exist in Kenya, unpacks the formal processes of deregistration and liquidation under the Companies Act, CAP 486. From compliance prerequisites and statutory filings to Gazette notices and post-dissolution obligations, the piece highlights the critical steps directors and members must take to ensure a smooth and legally compliant closure. It also explores the risks of liability that may linger even after dissolution, underscoring the importance of proper legal and financial guidance.
