Babatunde Fagbohunlu, Wambui G Muigai, and David Kaggwa among 2026 Africa Construction Law Awards honorees

Winning the Rising Star Award at the Africa Construction Law Conference is “surreal” and means a great deal, says Wambui G Muigai FCIArb, a Principal Associate at Kenyan firm Mohammed Muigai LLP, who was one of several winners who were celebrated at a Gala Dinner and Awards on Monday evening in Johannesburg.

Reflecting on her win yesterday, Wambui celebrated her fellow nominees, and thanked the organisers, such as African Construction Law (ACL) founder Ngo-Martins Okonmah FCIArb, for “this incredible recognition”, and for delivering such a successful and impactful conference across the two days in South Africa.

“The work being done to advance African construction law across the continent is truly commendable, and it is inspiring to witness the continued growth, collaboration, and excellence within this field,” says Wambui. “It was a privilege to be considered alongside such brilliant professionals from different parts of Africa. Your work, leadership, and contributions to the industry continue to raise the bar.”

Individuals and organisations that have demonstrated “outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact in the delivery of infrastructure and the advancement of construction law” were honoured at the 2026 ACL Awards, which the organisation described as “an unforgettable evening where black-tie sophistication met African elegance in a true celebration of culture, connection, and excellence”.

David Kaggwa FCIArb, an international arbitrator, adjudicator, and construction lawyer with over 20 years of experience, received the award for Leading Legal Practitioner. The Senior Partner at Ugandan firm Kaggwa & Kaggwa Advocates, David holds a Master of Laws Degree in Construction Law and Arbitration from Robert Gordon University in Scotland, and has served as a member, Fellow, Director, or Chair of several leading arbitration and construction law institutes across Africa, the UK, and the United States. He is also founder and Executive Director of Construction Law Institute, a think tank uniting professionals in the built environment.

On an evening “where heritage and excellence came together beautifully in Johannesburg”, and in a room filled with leaders, visionaries, and changemakers celebrating progress, partnership, and purpose, Thierry Linares of FTI Consulting in France won the ACL Award for Leading Expert (non-legal), Nigerian law firm Aluko & Oyebode won the Leading Project/Initiative Award for its work on Project Pulse Enugu - Onitsha Expressway (RITC Scheme), and Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN, the Senior Partner of Aluko & Oyebode, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

With more than thirty years of legal experience, Tunde is an “extremely well-established disputes lawyer” who regularly represents Nigerian, foreign and multinational clients in ad hoc arbitrations and arbitrations administered by arbitral institutions. He has also acted as an arbitrator at several ad hoc arbitral tribunals, as well as arbitrations administered by the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce and the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

With a theme of ‘Construction in Transition: Building Africa’s Infrastructure for the Next Era’, this year was the sixth edition of the ACL Conference. 

It also marked the first time the two-day convention has taken place in South Africa, having previously been hosted in Nigeria and Kenya. A pan-African initiative set up by construction law practitioners across Africa and in the diaspora, the ACL was established in 2021 to operate as a specialised platform for practitioners and promote thought leadership and expertise in construction law and dispute resolution across the continent.