General Counsel in Africa are confronting a surge in responsibilities, growing legal complexity, and chronic underinvestment in resources, according to a new continent-wide survey of senior legal leaders.

The findings, released in On the Horizon: A 2025 African GC Perspective, draw from the anonymised responses of 129 General Counsel and senior in-house lawyers across 41 countries.

The survey was conducted by the African Corporate and Government Counsel Forum (ACGC) in collaboration with legal intelligence platform Afriwise.

Many respondents now oversee far more than traditional legal matters. The report found that 83 per cent are now responsible for compliance, while 41 per cent also manage ethics and 37 per cent handle government relations.

However, 56 per cent of those surveyed said their legal budgets remain below Sh19.5 million, and nearly half reported their teams are understaffed.

The report notes that most GCs are being asked to guide their organisations through strategic, regulatory and ethical challenges, often with little technological support.

Despite this, only 19 per cent reported using tools to track regulatory change, even though 70 per cent said access to in-country legal intelligence is extremely important.

Cynthia Lareine, Director and Co-Founder of ACGC, explained that legal leaders are stepping into broader executive roles, yet they often lack the support structures to do so effectively.

“This is a defining moment for the in-house legal function in Africa. General Counsel are being called on to lead strategic decision-making, shape governance frameworks and advice across the business. But the systems and investment needed to support this expanded role are often still lacking,” Lareine stated.

The report also highlights a worrying trend in team morale. Fifty-three per cent of respondents cited increased stress and anxiety within their teams over the past year, pointing to the human toll of rising pressure on stretched legal departments.

Monitoring regulatory change emerged as one of the most significant challenges. With laws frequently shifting and reliable updates hard to come by, many teams remain dependent on informal channels or external counsel.

This lack of infrastructure continues to hamper risk management across multiple jurisdictions.

Nankunda Katangaza, Director and Co-Founder of ACGC, underscored the evolving role of GCs in the broader corporate strategy.

She remarked, “General Counsel in Africa are not just managing legal risk – they’re enabling growth, safeguarding reputation and supporting leadership through uncertainty. This report is not just a reflection of the current state of in-house counsel, it’s a roadmap for the future. If the profession is to thrive, legal capability must be strengthened through investment in data, systems and people.”

Alongside statistical findings, the report features insights from over 20 legal experts.

Their commentary points to rising pressure on African legal departments to align with global expectations in areas like ESG compliance, anti-corruption and data protection — regardless of the maturity of local laws.

The report also notes that legal leaders are increasingly called upon to advise on digital transformation, oversee cross-border transactions, and manage relations with regulators. In many cases, they must do so without the benefit of harmonised legal systems or coordinated policy frameworks.

The authors present the report not only as a benchmark, but as a practical guide to help corporate boards, policy-makers and legal departments make informed investment decisions.

They hope it will catalyse sustained improvements in legal infrastructure and reposition the role of General Counsel as strategic business partners in Africa’s growth story.