WLA CO-PRACTICE CORRIDOR · IN DEVELOPMENT · positions open
France → Francophone Africa
Language. Law. Capital. The most integrated corridor in Africa.
France–Francophone Africa is one of the most institutionally deep cross-border legal corridors in the world — unified by French legal tradition, the OHADA commercial law framework, CFA franc monetary union, French language, and French development finance capital flowing across 21 Francophone African states.
OHADA
17-state commercial law
2026
All founding positions open
IN DEVELOPMENT · 2026
BOTH SIDES OPEN · FOUNDING POSITIONS AVAILABLE NOW
This corridor is under active development. All founding positions are open. 2026 founding status is permanent and cannot be acquired retroactively.
APPLY NOW →
HOW CO-PRACTICE WORKS ON THIS CORRIDOR
BOTH SIDES OPEN.
FOUNDING POSITIONS
AVAILABLE NOW.
This corridor is under active development. Founding Corridor Leader positions on both sides are open to qualifying WLA partner firms — 2026 founding status is permanent and cannot be acquired retroactively.
FRANCE LEGAL SIDE
French commercial law — Code de commerce, M&A law, and Autorité de la Concurrence merger control for French investment into Africa
AFD (Agence Française de Développement) — French development finance documentation and compliance for African infrastructure investment
France FDI screening — Décret Montebourg screening for Francophone African investment into French sensitive sectors
French employment law — Code du travail, CSE (Works Council) consultation requirements for post-acquisition integration
INPI France — French IP strategy co-ordinated with OAPI (African IP Organisation for Francophone Africa) simultaneously
ICC Paris — the primary arbitration seat for France-Africa commercial disputes across all sectors
CORRIDOR LEADER · FRANCE · FOUNDING POSITION OPEN
THIS POSITION
IS OPEN.
IS THAT YOUR FIRM?
The FRANCE Corridor Leader position on the France → Francophone Africa corridor is open for a founding WLA partner firm. Permanent 2026 founding status. Named on every WLA brief, every Intelligence publication, and UNBOUNDED™ in perpetuity.
✔
Named France → Francophone Africa FRANCE Corridor Leader — published permanently across all WLA platforms
✔
All corridor mandates on this side route through your firm as the designated co-practice lead
✔
Corridor intelligence co-produced under your firm's name — quarterly, published globally
✔
Named at UNBOUNDED™ Barcelona 2026 and all future editions in perpetuity
✔
2026 Founding status is permanent and non-retroactive — cannot be purchased after 2026
✔
USD 2,995 per year · Non-binding EOI · Response within 2 to 3 working days
APPLY FOR THIS POSITION →
NH
Nathalie Hellio · HELMA International · Paris
Tax · Immigration · Employment · France Gateway
FRANCOPHONE AFRICA LEGAL SIDE
OHADA framework — Organisation pour l'Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires — unified commercial law across 17 Francophone African states
OHADA Uniform Acts — AUDCG (companies), AUDCIF (insolvency), AUPSRVE (arbitration) — providing legal certainty across Francophone Africa
Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal — the two primary commercial hubs for Francophone African investment, each with OHADA and national law
Cémenting African arbitration — CCJA (Common Court of Justice and Arbitration) under OHADA for Francophone Africa disputes
CFA franc monetary union — BEAC and BCEAO — French-aligned monetary policy simplifying France-Africa financial flows
Natural resources law — mining, oil and gas, and agricultural concession law across Francophone African member states
CORRIDOR LEADER · FRANCOPHONE · FOUNDING POSITION OPEN
THIS POSITION
IS OPEN.
IS THAT YOUR FIRM?
The FRANCOPHONE Corridor Leader position on the France → Francophone Africa corridor is open for a founding WLA partner firm. Permanent 2026 founding status. Named on every WLA brief, every Intelligence publication, and UNBOUNDED™ in perpetuity.
✔
Named France → Francophone Africa FRANCOPHONE Corridor Leader — published permanently across all WLA platforms
✔
All corridor mandates on this side route through your firm as the designated co-practice lead
✔
Corridor intelligence co-produced under your firm's name — quarterly, published globally
✔
Named at UNBOUNDED™ Barcelona 2026 and all future editions in perpetuity
✔
2026 Founding status is permanent and non-retroactive — cannot be purchased after 2026
✔
USD 2,995 per year · Non-binding EOI · Response within 2 to 3 working days
APPLY FOR THIS POSITION →
JP
Jean Pascal Ouendeno · Conakry, Guinea
Transactional · IP · Francophone Africa
ACTIVE SECTORS
WHERE THE DEAL
FLOW IS MOVING
ON THIS CORRIDOR.
WLA holds specialists in All nine WLA core practices across both sides of this corridor simultaneously.
💰
Investment & Development Finance
French development capital (AFD, PROPARCO) into Francophone African infrastructure. French PE into Francophone African middle market.
↑ Very High
⚡
Energy & Natural Resources
French energy companies (TotalEnergies) operating across Francophone Africa. OHADA energy concession frameworks.
↑ Very High
🏗️
Infrastructure & Construction
French construction groups (Vinci, Bouygues) dominating Francophone African infrastructure projects.
↑ High
💻
Technology & Telecoms
French technology companies and telecoms (Orange) across Francophone African digital markets.
↑ High
🌾
Agriculture & Food
French agri-business (Castel, Louis Dreyfus) operating across Francophone African agricultural value chains.
↑ High
No firms designated yet for this corridor.
Exclusive practice positions are open for firms interested in holding a designation on this corridor.
Apply for a designation →
CORRIDOR INTELLIGENCE · LIVE
REGULATORY SIGNALS
ACROSS BOTH SIDES
OF THIS CORRIDOR.
WLA tracks regulatory changes and deal climate signals on this corridor in real time.
OHADA Uniform Acts Update — Companies Act Reform Modernising Francophone African Corporate Law
OHADA ongoing reform programme modernising corporate and insolvency law across 17 member states. WLA monitors OHADA developments for all France-Francophone Africa corridor participants.
AFD PROPARCO
DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
AFD and PROPARCO Africa Programmes — French Development Finance Generating Advisory Demand
French development finance institution programmes across Francophone Africa generating significant legal advisory demand. WLA co-practices French investment documentation with OHADA and destination country compliance.
CCJA — OHADA Arbitration Court — Increasingly Active for France-Africa Commercial Disputes
Common Court of Justice and Arbitration under OHADA increasingly used for France-Francophone Africa commercial disputes. French-speaking arbitrators. OHADA law. WLA co-practices CCJA arbitration with French law simultaneously.
OAPI — African IP Organisation — French Company IP Protection Across Francophone Africa
OAPI provides trademark and patent protection across 17 Francophone African member states through one filing. WLA co-practices French INPI IP strategy with OAPI filing simultaneously.
CFA MONETARY UNION
CURRENCY
CFA Franc Monetary Union — French-Aligned Currency Simplifying France-Africa Capital Flows
CFA franc peg to Euro simplifies France-Francophone Africa financial flows. Banking supervision through BEAC and BCEAO aligned with French monetary policy. WLA monitors any CFA reform for corridor participants.
WHAT WLA CO-PRACTICES
NINE PRACTICES.
BOTH SIDES.
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
WLA holds all Nine core practice areas on both sides of this corridor.
01
FRANCE INVESTMENT INTO FRANCOPHONE AFRICA
French corporate and PE investment across OHADA member states — WLA co-practices French M&A law with OHADA Uniform Acts compliance, local regulatory approvals, and CFA franc monetary compliance simultaneously.
02
AFD PROPARCO DEVELOPMENT FINANCE DOCUMENTATION
French development finance documentation for AFD and PROPARCO-financed African infrastructure — WLA co-practices French development finance law with OHADA and destination country project law simultaneously.
03
FRENCH ENERGY COMPANIES IN FRANCOPHONE AFRICA
French energy companies operating across Francophone African oil, gas, and renewable energy markets — WLA co-practices French corporate law with OHADA energy concession frameworks and destination country mining and energy law.
04
OHADA CORPORATE COMPLIANCE FOR FRENCH GROUPS
French multinational group subsidiaries in OHADA member states — WLA co-practices French corporate governance standards with OHADA Uniform Act on Commercial Companies (AUDCG) simultaneously.
05
CCJA + ICC ARBITRATION FOR FRANCE-AFRICA DISPUTES
France-Francophone Africa commercial dispute resolution — CCJA OHADA arbitration and ICC Paris. WLA holds both corridor sides from pre-dispute strategy through award enforcement in every relevant jurisdiction.
06
OAPI IP PROTECTION FOR FRENCH COMPANIES
French technology, pharmaceutical, and luxury brand IP protection across Francophone Africa via OAPI — WLA co-practices French INPI and EUIPO IP strategy with OAPI filing simultaneously.
FOUNDING POSITIONS · 2026 · BOTH SIDES OPEN
FOUNDING STATUS
ON THIS CORRIDOR.
PERMANENT. 2026.
Both FRANCE side and FRANCOPHONE side Corridor Leader positions are open. 2026 founding status is permanent and non-retroactive — it cannot be acquired after 2026.
✔
Corridor Leader — USD 2,995 per corridor per year · Founding status permanent
✔
Exclusive Practice Partner — USD 995 per practice per year · One firm per jurisdiction
✔
Non-binding EOI · Response within 2 to 3 working days · Confidential
✅
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