Mining and metals
Exploration and production, mining agreements, relations with the State and local communities.
Law firm · Côte d’Ivoire Bar
Securing transactions. Defending interests.
SCP CSA Avocats advises and represents companies, investors and extractive industry operators in Côte d’Ivoire and across the OHADA region, from structuring transactions to resolving disputes.
- AdmissionCôte d’Ivoire Bar
- LocationAbidjan, seat of the CCJA
- Legal framework17 OHADA member states
- Working languagesFrançais · English
The firm
An independent business law firm based in the Plateau, close to the courts and authorities our clients deal with every day.
SCP CSA Avocats is a professional civil partnership of lawyers (société civile professionnelle) registered with the Côte d’Ivoire Bar. We handle both advisory and contentious matters before the Ivorian courts, the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA) and arbitral tribunals.
Each matter is led by a designated lawyer from the first meeting to its conclusion. Our written submissions are prepared with the same care as our oral arguments, and clients are kept informed at every decisive stage.
Advisory
Structuring of transactions, drafting and negotiation of contracts, regulatory compliance and support for investment projects.
Litigation
Representation before the Ivorian courts at every level, up to the Court of Cassation, the Council of State and the CCJA, as well as before the WAEMU and ECOWAS Courts of Justice and OAPI.
Arbitration
Representation of parties in institutional and ad hoc arbitration. The firm counts an arbitrator among its members.
Expertise
Fifteen practice areas, two departments
The firm is organised in two departments. The Advisory department supports companies and investors in their transactions; the Litigation department defends their interests before the courts and arbitral tribunals.
Advisory
Litigation
Advisory
Corporate and OHADA law
We support companies at every stage of their legal life, from incorporation to restructuring, applying the OHADA Uniform Acts and Ivorian law.
Typical matters
- Incorporation, conversion and restructuring of companies
- Shareholders’ agreements, share transfers and capital transactions
- Commercial, distribution and partnership agreements
- Security interests and debt recovery
- Insolvency proceedings
- Corporate governance and company secretarial work
Key legislation
- AUSCGIEUniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groups
- AUDCGUniform Act on General Commercial Law
- AUSUniform Act on Security Interests
- AUPCAPUniform Act on Insolvency Proceedings
Advisory
Mining, oil & gas and energy
We assist operators, investors and contractors in the extractive and energy industries in their dealings with the State, their partners and local communities.
Typical matters
- Mining titles and permits, mining agreements
- Petroleum contracts and joint operating agreements
- Service and subcontracting agreements
- Local content obligations and compliance
- Relations with authorities and local communities
- Sector-specific disputes
Key legislation
- MININGMining Code
- PETROLEUMPetroleum Code
- ELECTRICITYElectricity Code
- LOCAL CONTENTSector local content regulations
Advisory
Tax and customs
We act both preventively and in disputes with the tax and customs authorities, from the audit stage through to court proceedings.
Typical matters
- Tax audits and reassessments
- Tax claims and tax litigation
- Customs regimes and customs valuation
- Customs disputes and settlements
- Taxation of transactions and contracts
- Tax compliance
Key legislation
- CGIGeneral Tax Code
- LPFTax Procedures Code
- CUSTOMSCustoms Code
- TREATIESInternational tax treaties
Advisory
Investor advisory
We assist domestic and foreign investors in securing all the benefits available under the Investment Code, as well as the tax and customs incentives provided by other legislation.
Typical matters
- Choice of investment vehicle in Côte d’Ivoire
- Identification of incentive regimes applicable to the project
- Approval applications and procedures with CEPICI
- Tax and customs incentives under sector-specific legislation
- Investment agreements and negotiations with the State
- Monitoring of obligations attached to incentives
Key legislation
- INVESTMENTInvestment Code
- CEPICIInvestment Promotion Centre of Côte d’Ivoire
- CGIGeneral Tax Code and finance laws
- CUSTOMSCustoms Code and economic regimes
Advisory
Banking, insurance and finance
We advise credit institutions, microfinance institutions and insurance companies on their regulatory framework, and assist borrowers, lenders and investors in structuring, negotiating and securing their financing.
Typical matters
- Licences and banking and prudential compliance
- Microfinance institutions
- Insurance contracts, CIMA regulations and insurance disputes
- Bank, syndicated and project financing
- Security interests, independent guarantees, leasing and factoring
- Bond issues and regional financial market transactions
- Debt restructuring
- Anti-money laundering compliance
Key legislation
- WAMUBanking Law
- SFDLaw on decentralised financial systems (microfinance)
- CIMACIMA Insurance Code
- AUSUniform Act on Security Interests
- AMF-UMOARegional financial market regulations
- AML/CFTUniform law on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism
Advisory
Community law
We assist businesses in applying the community rules of WAEMU (UEMOA), ECOWAS (CEDEAO) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Typical matters
- Free movement of goods and rules of origin
- Community competition law
- AfCFTA trade and tariff regime
- Harmonised tax and customs rules within WAEMU
- Public procurement and community regulation
- Proceedings before community courts
Key legislation
- WAEMUTreaty of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
- ECOWASRevised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States
- CETECOWAS Common External Tariff
- AfCFTAAgreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area
Advisory
Real estate and construction
We act on real estate transactions and construction projects, from securing land title through to handover of the works and the resolution of disputes.
Typical matters
- Real estate acquisitions and land title security
- Commercial and professional leases
- Property development and off-plan sales
- Construction and project management contracts
- Public works contracts and public-private partnerships
- Construction and procurement disputes
Key legislation
- CONSTRUCTIONConstruction and Housing Code
- LANDLand and public property legislation
- PROCUREMENTPublic Procurement Code
- AUDCGProfessional leases (OHADA Uniform Act)
Advisory
Intellectual property
We help companies protect and leverage their intangible assets with the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), whose single title covers all of its member states.
Typical matters
- Protection strategy and prior-art searches
- Filing and registration of trademarks, patents, designs and models
- Trade names and geographical indications
- Renewals, recordals and portfolio management
- Licence, assignment, franchise and technology transfer agreements
- IP audits and due diligence
Key legislation
- BANGUIRevised Bangui Agreement establishing OAPI
- MADRIDMadrid Protocol concerning the International Registration of Marks
- PCTPatent Cooperation Treaty
- TRIPSAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
Litigation
Commercial and civil litigation
We run commercial and civil disputes on a strategy set from the outset: protective measures, proceedings on the merits, appeals and enforcement, before the commercial courts, the ordinary courts, the Court of Cassation and the CCJA.
Typical matters
- Contract disputes, unfair competition and shareholder disputes
- Civil liability and law of obligations
- Urgent and interim proceedings
- Debt recovery and payment orders
- Enforcement, attachments and protective measures
- Appeals to the Court of Cassation and the CCJA
Key legislation
- AUPSRVEUniform Act on Simplified Debt Recovery Procedures and Enforcement
- CPCCode of Civil, Commercial and Administrative Procedure
- COURTSCommercial courts, courts of first instance, courts of appeal, Court of Cassation
- CCJACommon Court of Justice and Arbitration
Litigation
White-collar crime
We assist companies and their executives, whether accused or victims, at every stage of criminal proceedings, from investigation to trial and appeal.
Typical matters
- Misuse of corporate assets, fraud, breach of trust, forgery
- Economic, financial and customs offences
- Bribery and money laundering
- Assistance during investigation and police custody
- Defence before the criminal courts
- Civil party claims and recovery of losses
Key legislation
- CPCriminal Code
- CPPCode of Criminal Procedure
- AUSCGIECriminal provisions of OHADA company law
- AML/CFTUniform law on anti-money laundering
Litigation
Intellectual property litigation
We defend right holders’ trademarks, patents, designs and models before the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) in Yaoundé and before national courts.
Typical matters
- Oppositions and ownership claims before OAPI
- Appeals to the OAPI Higher Board of Appeal
- Infringement actions and infringement seizures
- Invalidity and revocation actions
- Unfair competition and free-riding
- Border measures and customs detention
Key legislation
- BANGUIRevised Bangui Agreement establishing OAPI
- OAPIAnnexes to the Bangui Agreement: trademarks, patents, designs
- CSRRules of the OAPI Higher Board of Appeal
- TRIPSAgreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
Litigation
Proceedings before community bodies and courts
We represent companies, individuals and States before West African community bodies, including the WAEMU Commission and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority, and before the WAEMU Court of Justice in Ouagadougou and the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja.
Typical matters
- Proceedings before the WAEMU Commission, particularly in competition matters
- Proceedings before the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority
- Actions for annulment of acts of community institutions
- Infringement and liability actions, preliminary references
- Applications to the ECOWAS Court of Justice, including human rights cases
- Enforcement of community court decisions
Key legislation
- WAEMUWAEMU Treaty and Additional Protocol on supervisory bodies
- WAEMU CJRules of Procedure of the WAEMU Court of Justice
- ECOWASProtocol on the Community Court of Justice and 2005 Supplementary Protocol
- COMPETITIONWAEMU and ECOWAS community competition rules
Litigation
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
We assist clients in resolving disputes amicably or through arbitration: negotiation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration. The firm counts an arbitrator among its members, Maître Anoh Bernard ADOUKO.
Typical matters
- Drafting of multi-tier dispute resolution clauses
- Negotiation and settlement
- Contractual and court-ordered mediation, conciliation
- Institutional (CCJA, CACI) and ad hoc arbitration
- Interim and protective measures
- Set-aside proceedings, exequatur and enforcement of awards
Key legislation
- AUAUniform Act on Arbitration
- AUMUniform Act on Mediation
- CCJAArbitration Rules of the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration
- CACIArbitration and Mediation Rules of the Court of Arbitration of Côte d’Ivoire
- NEW YORKConvention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards
Litigation
Administrative and regulatory appeals
We defend companies before government agencies and regulatory authorities, from the pre-litigation stage through to appeals before the Council of State.
Typical matters
- Prior administrative and hierarchical appeals
- Appeals to the National Public Procurement Regulatory Authority
- Proceedings before sector regulators (telecommunications, energy)
- Proceedings before the Competition Commission
- Claims before the tax, customs and social security authorities
- Challenges to administrative sanctions and follow-up before the Council of State
Key legislation
- ANRMPNational Public Procurement Regulatory Authority
- ARTCITelecommunications/ICT Regulatory Authority of Côte d’Ivoire
- ANARE-CINational Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority
- COUNCIL OF STATEActions for annulment and full jurisdiction claims
Litigation
Employment litigation
We defend employers in individual and collective employment disputes, and in their disputes with social security bodies and the labour inspectorate.
Typical matters
- Individual and economic dismissals
- Collective disputes and strikes
- Proceedings before the labour court and on appeal
- Challenges to labour inspectorate decisions
- Social security (CNPS) contribution disputes and reassessments
- Workplace accidents and occupational diseases
Key legislation
- LABOURLabour Code
- CNPSSocial Security Code
- CCIInter-professional collective agreement
- OHADAUniform Act on Insolvency Proceedings: employment contracts
Sectors
The industries we work with
Our practice has grown around sectors where law, regulation and financial stakes are closely intertwined.
Oil and gas
Petroleum contracts, service providers, local content, sector-specific tax and customs.
Energy
Power generation, transmission and distribution, projects and partnerships.
Real estate and construction
Real estate transactions, property development, construction contracts, public works.
Banking, insurance and finance
Financing, guarantees, banking, financial and insurance regulation.
Trade and industry
Import-export, customs regimes, regional trade within WAEMU, ECOWAS and the AfCFTA.
OHADA region
17
OHADA member states
One business law shared by seventeen states
The OHADA Uniform Acts apply directly in all seventeen member states. The Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, the court of cassation for uniform law, sits in Abidjan.
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Comoros
- Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Equatorial Guinea
- Mali
- Niger
- DR Congo
- Senegal
- Chad
- Togo
Based in Abidjan, we follow CCJA case law and the application of uniform law by the Ivorian courts on a daily basis.
Approach
How a matter proceeds
Initial meeting
You explain your situation. We run a conflict check and identify what is at stake.
Analysis and proposal
We provide an analysis, a strategy and a written fee agreement.
Execution
Drafting of deeds and submissions, negotiation, hearings and oral argument.
Follow-up
A report at each decisive stage, through to enforcement of the decision.
Team
The firm’s lawyers
Two partners, an Of Counsel, an associate, a trainee lawyer and a legal counsel holding the CAPA make up the firm’s team, across the Advisory department and the Litigation department.
Advisory and legal assistance
Brahima SORO
Attorney at Law · Managing Partner
As managing partner, Brahima SORO heads SCP CSA Avocats. He focuses mainly on advisory work and legal assistance for companies and investors: structuring of transactions, OHADA company law, investor advisory, mining and oil & gas, tax and customs.
bsoro@csa-avocats.comLitigation
Aminata SIDIBE-CONE
Attorney at Law · Partner
Partner Aminata SIDIBE-CONE is in charge of the firm’s litigation practice. She heads the litigation department and leads the representation of clients before the Ivorian courts, from first instance up to the Court of Cassation, the Council of State and the CCJA.
acone@csa-avocats.com
Arbitration
Anoh Bernard ADOUKO
Attorney at Law · Of Counsel · Arbitrator
Of Counsel to the firm, which he joined in 2023, Anoh Bernard ADOUKO is a member of the Côte d’Ivoire Bar and an agrégé of the law faculties. He holds a doctorate in private law from Montesquieu University Bordeaux IV (2013), where he also obtained his accreditation to supervise research (HDR), and has been an associate professor (maître de conférences agrégé) of private law and criminal sciences since the 19th session of the CAMES agrégation (2019). A lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Legal, Administrative and Management Sciences of Alassane Ouattara University in Bouaké since 2014, he is also an associate researcher at the Institute for Research in Business and Property Law (IRDAP) of the University of Bordeaux. The firm’s only arbitrator, he brings his expertise in private and criminal law to the teams.
badouko@csa-avocats.comLitigation department
Kouamé Maxime KONAN
Attorney at Law · Associate
An associate in the litigation department, Kouamé Maxime KONAN takes part in preparing and managing proceedings, drafting submissions and representing clients at hearings.
mkonan@csa-avocats.comLitigation department
Franck Herman RABET
Trainee lawyer
A trainee lawyer in the litigation department, Franck Herman RABET assists the firm’s lawyers with legal research, case preparation and the follow-up of proceedings.
hrabet@csa-avocats.com
Tax and corporate law
Koffi Andersone BROU
Tax counsel · CAPA holder
A tax specialist, Koffi Andersone BROU holds a master’s degree in business law from the University of Cocody and the certificate of aptitude for the legal profession (CAPA), and is awaiting admission to the Bar. He has nearly fifteen years of tax experience, notably as a tax specialist in the telecommunications sector and as an engagement director in legal and tax advisory. He works on corporate taxation and the taxation of oil & gas subcontractors, local content, responses to tax, customs and social security audits, due diligence, company law and company secretarial work, and assists boards of directors and general meetings. He co-teaches customs law at the European Chamber of Commerce in Côte d’Ivoire (EUROCHAM).
abrou@csa-avocats.comPublications
Analysis and scholarship
Briefings, scholarly articles and legal updates written by the firm’s lawyers on developments in business law in Côte d’Ivoire and across the OHADA region.
The firm’s first publications will be available soon.
To receive them as soon as they are published, write to us at info@csa-avocats.com
News and events
Life at the firm
Announcements, conferences, training sessions and events in which the firm’s lawyers take part.
Upcoming news and events from the firm will be announced here.
For invitations or press enquiries: info@csa-avocats.com
Contact
Let’s discuss your matter.
Address
60, avenue Jeanne Gervais, PlateauImmeuble « Les Acacias », 5e étage, porte 503
01 BPM 11931 Abidjan 01
Côte d’Ivoire
Telephone
When contacting us, please briefly state the subject of the matter and the parties involved, so that we can run a conflict check before the meeting.