Local Content Advisory
Every mining and hydrocarbons title in the region now carries local-content obligations — but the regimes are not uniform. Some states, led by Senegal and Mali, have moved to hard percentage quotas, dedicated oversight bodies and real financial sanctions; others still rely on a softer "preference at equivalent terms" standard. We help operators and their subcontractors read the regime that actually applies to them, build the compliance plan it demands, and defend their position when it is examined.
What we do for you
Regime mapping
A precise reading of which standard applies — hard quotas (Senegal, Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso) or a preference-at-equivalent-terms standard (Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Chad, Congo, Cameroon, DRC) — before a bid or a contract is signed.
Subcontracting and procurement structuring
Local-partner arrangements, reserved-activity compliance, and bid structuring where national bidders benefit from a statutory price margin (e.g. Senegal's 10% preference, Mali's 10% tolerance).
National-employment and succession plans
Localisation targets by job category, phased expatriate-replacement schedules, and the recruitment-call formalities several regimes require before any foreign hire.
Local-content plans and compliance reporting
Annual and semi-annual local-content plans, procurement reports and execution reports to the competent authority (CNSCL, SPCL, CAMI and equivalents), on the calendar each regime sets.
Training funds and capacity-building obligations
Structuring contributions to national training and development funds (Senegal's FADCL and equivalents) and the community-development obligations attached to mining conventions.
Audits, sanctions and regulator relations
Responding to compliance audits and non-conformity findings, and representation where a shortfall exposes a title holder to fines, exclusion from procurement platforms, or withdrawal of the title itself.
How an engagement unfolds
- QualificationYou describe your matter through our form; a partner calls you back within 24 hours.
- Engagement letterScope, deliverables, timing and fees are agreed in writing before work begins.
- ExecutionAn integrated legal, tax and regulatory team, led by a partner who remains your single point of contact.
- MonitoringTailored alerts on the texts that affect your matter, through the regulatory library.
Other practice areas
Frequently asked questions
Does every OHADA/CEMAC state impose a fixed local-content percentage?
No — this is a genuine and important distinction. Senegal (hydrocarbons and, since 2022, mining), Mali (mining, since 2023) and Equatorial Guinea (hydrocarbons) set hard, numeric targets with dedicated oversight bodies and financial sanctions. Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Chad, Congo and Cameroon instead require preference for national companies "at equivalent terms" (price, quality, timing) without a fixed percentage — a materially different, and generally lighter, compliance burden.
What does Senegal's local-content regime actually require?
Under Law No. 2019-04 (hydrocarbons), contractors must run two nationals-only recruitment calls before hiring abroad, submit annual local-content plans within statutory review windows, and cannot reject a Senegalese bid on price alone if it is within 10% of the lowest bid. Compliance is tracked through a Local Content Indicator and monitored by the CNSCL; shortfalls can draw fines, exclusion from procurement platforms, or contract termination.
What happens if a mining subcontractor in Mali does not meet the localisation targets?
Mali's Law No. 2023-041 caps expatriate staff at 10% of headcount (and 30% of payroll) for the first three years, falling to 5% after year three, and reserves certain services (site transport, catering, environmental studies) to Malian companies outright. Compliance is reported to the Secrétariat Permanent du Contenu Local through annual procurement plans and semi-annual reports; persistent shortfalls are a documented ground for administrative action against the title.
A matter in local content?
Describe your matter in two minutes. A partner — not an intake team — responds within 24 hours.