Clifford Chance has a strong focus on high-value project finance and project development in energy and infrastructure. Mustapha Mourahib and Ouns Lemseffer lead the practice in the firm's Casablanca office. Mourahib has extensive experience in large scale M&A, private equity, and project finance transactions in the energy industry; he is advising the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) in a major asset transfer by the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE). Additionally, Lemseffer advises large energy clients in financing large projects, such as wind farms and desalination plants.
Projects and public law in Morocco
Clifford Chance
Practice head(s):
Mustapha Mourahib; Ouns Lemseffer
Key clients
Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN)
OCP Africa
ONHYM (the Moroccan National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines)
Enel Green Power Morocco
Meridiam SAS
Acciona Agua, Green of Africa S.A. and Afriquia Gaz
Africa 50 – Project Development
Attijariwafa Bank, Banque Centrale Populaire and Bank of Africa
Siemens Energy
Power Sur
A.P. Moller
Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (UM6P)
Nareva Holding SA and Enel Green Power
Orange Middle East & Africa and Orange Mali
Work highlights
- Advised OCP Africa on its partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) for the development of an industrial platform for the production of fertilizers in Nigeria.
- Advised Acciona Agua, Green of Africa S.A. and Afriquia Gaz in the context of their tender for the Casablanca desalination plant with an installed capacity of 200 million m3 per year under phase 1 and an additional 100 million m3 per year under phase 2.
- Advised ONHYM (the Moroccan National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines) in respect of taking over ownership and operations (gas transportation services) of the Moroccan section of Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (the GME), in the context of the termination in 2021 of the 25-year agreement between Naturgy, GALP, ONHYM and the Kingdom of Morocco.
ASAFO & CO. MOROCCO Sarl
In addition to its Casablanca presence, ASAFO & CO. has an extensive network across Africa, with offices in Abidjan, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Johannesburg, which allows the firm to be involved in major projects in both Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa. The team is led by Louis Dubois and Patrick Larrivé. Dubois is a specialist in advising on negotiation and signing for various African countries, while Larrivé provides cross-sectoral expertise on deals involving private equity investment.
Practice head(s):
Louis Dubois; Patrick Larrivé
Key clients
Garan Group
SPG Akwaba
MCA Morocco
Casablanca Transport
Agadir Mobilités
Upline Corporate Finance
Work highlights
- Advising a project developer in the negotiation and signing of the contract for the construction of a luxury hotel complex in Abidjan.
- Advising an IPP on the extension of the operation period of a thermic power plant and development of a greenfield thermic power plant.
- Advising a foreign aid agency in connection with the drafting of all legal texts allowing the implementation of mechanisms to strengthen land governance and the land strategy in Morocco.
FIDAL
Fidal , operating from both Casablanca and Paris, has a team of around twenty lawyers with in-depth knowledge of advising on energy infrastructure in Morocco and Africa. The team is led by Julie Claude, who has a track record of cross-border work, including matters concerning the Ivory Coast. Additionally, the firm also assists in projects concerning urban public transportation, ports, and public health infrastructure.
Practice head(s):
Julie Claude
Testimonials
‘Julie Claude has a wealth of knowledge in terms of regulations and project development in these sectors in a number of countries, including Morocco and most West African countries such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.’
‘FIDAL has highly skilled teams, particularly in pitching, legal due diligence, project structuring and drafting contractual documentation.’
‘We often work with this firm on interesting assignments and have not encountered any problems in our collaboration.’
Key clients
UC-PCCET
INEE/CDG
Casa Transports SA
Moroccan National Ports Agency
Rabat Région Mobilité (ex-STRS)
Ordre de Malte
RATP Dev
Boad (West African Development Bank)
Work highlights
- Supporting INGEPLAN/INEE’ implementation of projects, particularly in the form of PPPs contracts or EPC contracts.|
- Advising the Rabat Région Mobilité (RRM) company in its planning to deploy an unprecedented infrastructure scheme based on the construction of a dozen underground car parks.
- Advising PCCET on the IDA19 Special Theme “Employment and economic transformation”, in particular by financing the implementation of strengthening of competitiveness aimed at identifying market failures and develop action plans to each value chain supported, notably mango, pineapple, rubber, plastic, oil palm and shea.
Gide Loyrette Nouel
Gide Loyrette Nouel regularly advises public entities, private operators, financial institutions on infrastructure and energy deals and financings in Morocco and elsewhere in Africa. The team is led by Wacef Bentaibi, who is supported by Frédéric Pia. The firm is also currently working on a wide range of infrastructure projects, including desalination and renewable energy.
Practice head(s):
Wacef Bentaibi
Other key lawyers:
Frédéric Pia
Testimonials
‘Excellent local team in Morocco. Collaborative way of working, precise and constructive.’
‘Wacef Bentaibi is always available, competent, and knowledgeable.’
‘The GIDE team is very professional and approachable. They are very proactive, available and responsive. They know the business and have extensive experience of the African continent.’
Key clients
Chariot Transitional Power
Naval Group
Egis Projects
Nareva Holding
Suez International
OCP
Tanger Med Utilities
Itochu Corporation
STOA
Total Eren
Sisal
OCP Green Energy
Work highlights
- Acted as lead legal counsel for the consortium composed of Suez International, Nareva Holding, Itochu Corporation and CIMR in relation to the Casablanca desalination project.
- Assisting the Sponsors consortium composed of Egis Projects, STOA, Poma and SNCIm in the response to the tender launched by the Tangiers municipality for the design, financing, construction and long-term operation and maintenance of a cable way under a concession scheme.
- Assisting OCP Green Energy for the review, drafting and negotiation of contracts (EPC, supply, O&M,) relating to the development and future operation of a pipeline of renewable power production projects for an installed capacity in excess of 1000 MW over the 2023-2027 period in view to supply OCP SA mining sites.
Afrique Advisors
Afrique Advisors handles business, tax and public law matters, including public law matters interfacing with projects. Managing partner Laila Slassi, an expert in corporate and M&A work, who expertly leverages her experience in restructuring and financing in the area of projects.
Practice head(s):
Laila Slassi
Key clients
Ministry Of Tourism, Handicrafts And Social And Solidarity Economy
Work highlights
- Advised the Ministry Of Tourism, Handicrafts And Social And Solidarity Economy in a study pertaining to the restructuring, the reinforcement and drafting of the legal and regulatory framework of the social and solidarity economy in Morocco.
Mokhtari & Brahma Avocats
Mokhtari & Brahma Avocats is an independent Moroccan law firm which specializes in project financing in the energy sector. The practice excels in offering legal advice advises on financing, structuring, and drafting negotiations for large energy companies and financial institutions. Ghalia Mokhtari lead the practice - she specializes in projects and banking law and regularly advises on public private partnerships, construction issues, and general Moroccan regulation matters.
Practice head(s):
Ghalia Mokhtari
Key clients
Chariot Oil & Gas
Attijari Wafa Bank
EBRD
Nordex
Banque Centrale Populaire
Empower
Abu Dhabi Energy Company
Sound Energy
The Ministry of Energy
GGGI
Work highlights
- Advised Chariot Oil & Gas on the development of gas projects in Morocco.
- Advised Banque Centrale Populaire in a 7 billion Moroccan Dirhams financing.
- Advised Attijari Wafa Bank on several financings, in total of up to 10 billion Moroccan dirhams.
UGGC Africa
UGGC Africa handles the public law elements of a wide range of projects. Ali Bougrine heads the practice and leverages his expertise in corporate and M&A in advising clients on joint ventures and other commercial issues. Laurent Sablé is another notable figure in the firm and provides support on several matters involving large energy infrastructure projects.
Practice head(s):
Ali Bougrine
Other key lawyers:
Laurent Sablé
Testimonials
‘UGGC Africa has specialist knowledge on change office regulations and practices.’
‘Flexible and reactive team, able to cope with very short term deadlines.’
Key clients
LafargeHolcim
RATP Dev
Centre Monétique Interbancaire Europe Environment (CMIEE)
Systra Group
Mirova
Matis Aerospace (a joint company of Boeing and Safran)
Fipar Holding
Work highlights
URITI
URITI is an independent project development boutique. The practice particularly excels in regulatory concerning energy infrastructure. Besides regulatory work, the firm also engages in legal and tax structuring. The team is led by Kenza Bounjou, who leads most of the firm’s matters.
Practice head(s):
Kenza Bounjou
Key clients
Proton Ventures B.V
Xlinks
Qair
Work highlights
- Advised Xlinks in relation to the regulatory aspects of the development of a 10.5 GW photovoltaic and solar power plant to generate electricity to be exported to the UK via HVDC submarine cable, located in Guelmim, in Morocco.
- Advised Proton Ventures B.V in relation to the turnkey realization of the first green ammonia pilot plant for the production of green ammonia with a minimum capacity of 4 tons/day of ammonia production and running on electricity, located in Jorf Lasfar, Morocco.
- Advised Proton Ventures B.V in relation to the design, supply, assembly, construction and industrial commissioning of the ammonia storage and distribution headers, in Jorf Lasfar, Morocco.