Infrastructure

While inadequate infrastructure is hampering growth in Africa, it also offers significant investment opportunities. Sustained investment in the key sectors of transport, telecommunications, power generation and mining will also unlock economic growth and improved access to critical social infrastructure (including public buildings, healthcare, education, water treatment and supply).

We help our clients at all stages of the economic life-cycle of infrastructure projects – from developing to acquiring to managing to restructuring to selling assets, including assisting with the necessary financing. Our team comprises African specialists in mergers and acquisitions, project and asset financing and refinancing, procurement, concessions and public private partnerships, construction, dispute resolution and regulatory compliance.

We routinely handle complex finance transactions and have extensive knowledge of leveraged and acquisition finance, structured finance, capital markets, project finance, property finance, insolvency and restructuring, derivatives and securitisation. Our experience covers bilateral and syndicated loans, inter-creditor and agency agreements, export credit financing, guarantee and security issues.

Our presence ‘on-the- ground’ and ability to resolve challenges particular to infrastructure projects in Africa is a key differentiator as is our experience with complex domestic and cross-border infrastructure projects on the continent.

Our clients range from corporations to banks and financial institutions, sponsors and lenders, state-owned enterprises and government departments involved in major infrastructure projects.  We also work with other law firms, particularly within the context of joint appointments with international legal counsel, to ensure the delivery of legal services appropriate to individual projects.

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 African Legal Awards, 2021

Transportation and Infrastructure Team of the Year

Chambers and Partners, 2022

‘highly regarded and notably involved in significant infrastructure … projects’

‘services a range of financial clients with advice on energy project investments’

‘demonstrates expertise in road and rail infrastructure development, including O&M agreements’

‘adept in upstream and midstream oil and gas, with further proficiency in power purchase agreements and PPP construction’

‘handles all aspects of project development, ranging from infrastructure PPP tenders to IPP financing and power plant maintenance’

‘acts on transport and social infrastructure mandates with a particularly sophisticated renewable energy practice, assisting with various thermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind energy projects’

Legal 500, 2021

‘a healthy mix of infrastructure, energy, mining and transport-related engagements’

‘has impressed in a series of headline infrastructure projects in South Africa and beyond’

• Bowmans advised Palabora Mining Company (in respect of the Lift II brownfield copper mining expansion project in Palabora. Project value is circa ZAR 9.3 billion.

• Bowmans is advising WBHO in respect of a national road project in Swaziland, including all financing and construction elements.

• Bowmans advised Gigawatt Mozambique S.A, on its 100MW gas fired power station in Mozambique.  The project consisted of the financing, development, design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, ownership, operation and maintenance of a 100MW gas fired power station in Ressano Garcia, Mozambique.  Bowmans acted and continues to act as legal counsel to Gigawatt Mozambique, SA in Phase 2 of the Project.  Named as Deal of the Year by African Investor for 2016. 

• Bowmans advised a global shipping company in relation to the construction aspects of its bid for a concession to design, build and operate a new cruise terminal and related infrastructure in South Africa.

• Bowmans advised contractor in relation to EPC and O&M contracts relating to a major roads PPP programme in Kenya.

• Bowmans successfully advised a client on its disputes relating to maintenance works on rail infrastructure. 

• Bowmans advised Aveng Limited in relation to the sale of shares transaction in terms of which Royal Bafokeng Holdings Pty Ltd acquired certain infrastructure assets for a cash consideration of R860 million from Aveng Limited, via a wholly owned subsidiary Aveng (Africa) Pty Ltd.  This transaction was valued at R860 million.   This matter involved a significant deal value and is likely to have a positive impact on the vitally important renewable energy sector in South Africa. It was a favourable disinvestment for Aveng who is able now to direct its focus and energies to core business in Africa.

• Bowmans advised PPC in relation to its R4 billion rights offer and financial restructuring and in relation to the unwind of certain components of its 2008 B-BBEE transaction.