INVESTIGATION | The Oil and Gas Kingpin of Africa

In The Oil and Gas Kingpin of Africa: The ‘Law Firm’ Brokering Africa’s Biggest Oil and Gas Deals, Open Secrets profiles lawyer and businessman, NJ Ayuk, and his company, CLG (formerly known as Centurion Law Group). Both have a wide network of influence and power across the African continent.

The report relies on new information provided to Open Secrets by several whistleblowers, and media reporting to profile CLG and Ayuk’s involvement in fossil fuel contracts across Africa.

Headquartered in Johannesburg, CLG has been linked to several dubious state contracts involving fossil fuel deals in South Africa. These deals include providing advice on multiple irregular tenders linked to PetroSA that later fell apart, and the CEF’s purchase of the defunct Sapref refinery for a token R1 despite its multi-billion liabilities.

Previously, employees within these state-owned entities have alleged that CLG has provided bad advice and over-charged for their work, as well as providing legal services despite not being a law firm. While Ayuk and CLG benefit from public funds, the fossil fuel industry continues wreck harm on people and our environment across Africa.

Download the report below: