Breaking down misconceptions about an African continent getting ready to boom (LIDW26 briefs)

Over the course of this week, thousands of delegates and leading figures from the global dispute resolution community are gathering in person and online to learn, share, network, and socialise across a huge variety of LIDW26 events, exploring key issues and topics, and helping to drive awareness and best practice globally.

The future of international dispute resolution is being written, and Africa’s voice at the table has never mattered more. With its young, dynamic population, resource riches, and technological leaps, Africa is set to play a growing role in how the world responds to energy transition, climate change, and other pressing challenges.

Throughout this week Africa Legal will be in attendance, spotlighting key conversations relevant to Africa and its legal practice, along with African lawyers in attendance. During the Main Conference yesterday, we grabbed a few moments with South African disputes lawyer Robin De Backer, Senior Associate at pan-African boutique firm Primerio. 

So, Robin, first up, why was it important for you and Primerio partner Michael-James Currie to take the long flight to London to attend London International Disputes Week (LIDW26) in person?

Where we are right now at Primerio is we’re expanding our dispute resolution and litigation offering. We already have some really amazing work and matters in this space, particularly internationally, including matters at the LCIA here in London, so it was important for us to be here in person. We want to expand our brand and get our name out there so that the international community knows we’re here. There’s also a massive and growing need domestically; disputes and ADR in South Africa and Africa are expanding significantly. So that’s really one of the key reasons we wanted to come to London, to be close to our matters, put our name out there, and show what we're capable of.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your practice and Primerio law firm?

I’m a Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation team at Primerio. The firm originally started as a specialist competition law firm, but we've expanded significantly over the years. We have three regional hubs, in Kenya, Mauritius, and South Africa, and we also work with various in-country firms across Africa. In terms of our offering, it includes, competition, corporate and commercial, investigations, regulatory, white-collar crime and we've just established a forensics practice. We really are growing across the board, and the goal is to continue building out and implementing these various offerings in a meaningful way.

At LIDW25 there was discussion about Africa’s huge potential, and the need for Africa to develop more of its own ADR talent and gain a stronger voice globally and with international arbitration. What are your feelings on that; the growth of arbitration and mediation in Africa, and the continent's place at the global table?

One of the key reasons we're here at London International Disputes Week is exposure. There's a misconceived idea that Africa/South Africa isn't operating on the same scale, or doesn't have matters of the same calibre. It's not necessarily an uneducated view, but Africa simply isn't at the forefront of people's minds in the way that a big, well-known hub like London is. So, a big part of why we're here is creating awareness and changing that narrative.

At the same time, across the continent, there's a real and growing recognition of the need for ADR and the value it can bring. Every jurisdiction is starting to understand its benefits. And I think if people develop a more accurate understanding of what African countries are actually capable of, the sophistication of the work, the scale of the matters, they'll realise that the capability is very much there, and in many cases, exceeds expectation

How have you seen the use of various ADR methods evolve over the course of your career, and how important do you think ADR will be for South Africa moving forward, with large infrastructure and mining projects and other matters?

In terms of how I’ve seen dispute resolution evolve in my own practice, in South Africa, for example, mediation has now become court-mandated. The reasoning behind that was straightforward: courts were completely inundated with matters, and what were once trial dates allocated seven to eight years out have now come down to roughly a year. Tha’'s a significant improvement in terms of service delivery and access to the judiciary.

But beyond that, the two biggest fears for anyone entering any form of dispute resolution are cost and time. If you’re looking at three to four years of litigation with legal fees running throughout, that’s a serious deterrent for clients. ADR provides a real alternative; a way for people to have their matters heard efficiently and effectively.

That said, it only works when you have the right people involved, the right arbitrators, with the right industry knowledge and expertise. It has genuinely evolved over the course of my career.

Thanks for taking the time to have a chat with Africa Legal. Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself, your practice, or your firm?

The big thing I really want to emphasise about Primerio is our Africa offering. We genuinely see the potential, we see the exposure these countries deserve, and it is a huge market to be tapped into. I think it is important for anyone attending something like London International Disputes Week to not overlook Africa in their thinking.

Africa is an incredibly important part of the world, going to boom over the next few years across so many sectors, and dispute resolution is no exception. We feel very fortunate to be positioned where we are, with the presence and the network we’ve built across the continent. The opportunity is there, and we’re excited to be part of it.

This interview is part of Africa Legal's coverage of London International Disputes Week 2026 (LIDW26). You can read more about other delegates, insights, and events: 

• The face of international arbitration has changed (LIDW26 briefs)

• Africa’s growing global impact on agenda as LIDW26 kicks off

• African transformation requires building investor trust in its dispute resolution systems

Or view our full suite of LIDW26 coverage here.