The International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA) programme has commenced its 2026 round of secondments, providing African lawyers with experience at firms in London. Five lawyers have begun placements in London through the annual programme, which aims to give young African practitioners experience of working at international law firms.
The 2026 cohort commenced earlier in September, with placements at the London offices of Hunton Andrews Kurth, Trinity International, Mayer Brown, Latham & Watkins, and Clifford Chance. During the past 12 years, ILFA has placed 300 lawyers from 25 African countries.
As well as work at the firms, the three-month secondments include training and education sessions at Oxford and Cambridge universities and firms around London. ILFA programme manager Fateema Benjamin says, “Our hope for this year’s cohort is that each secondee leaves London with more than new technical skills.”
Benjamin continues: “We want them to return home with greater confidence, a broader perspective, lasting professional relationships and a renewed sense of what they can contribute to their own firms, institutions and legal communities.” This year’s participants include Nabila Hamada from Kenyan firm Walker Kontos, Temple Ezebuike from Templars Nigeria, Oluwatobi Akintayo from Udo Udoma & Belo Osagie in Nigeria, Fatma Haruna Songoro from Victory Attorneys & Consultants in Tanzania and Henok Kiros from Aman & Partners Legal Service in Ethiopia.
ILFA has illustrious backing, with the board led by president Funke Adekoya SAN, former head of dispute resolution at AELEX, now an independent arbitrator. The programme is seeking further support from London’s legal community for future editions, as Benjamin explains: “Every placement represents an investment in a person, a profession and a future. With the continued support of our city partners, we can ensure that another generation of exceptional African lawyers has the opportunity to learn, contribute, connect and ultimately become leaders within their own legal communities.”
The programme’s board includes Tim Taylor KC, based in Dubai with Russian firm EPAM; Howard Barrie, senior partner at the London office of Olaniwun Ajayi; David Ziyambi of Latham & Watkins; Daniel Mutisya, a private equity partner at Clifford Chance; Susan Craughan, senior legal counsel for Schneider Electric; and Silver Kayondo of Ortus Advocates in Uganda, himself a former ILFA secondee.