The African Startup Legal Toolkit
Everything you need to legally structure your African startup: company registration, shareholder agreements, term sheet glossary, IP protection, and employment contracts — explained in plain English.
Legal clarity is the foundation of a fundable startup. Yet most early-stage African founders operate in a legal grey zone — verbal agreements, unregistered businesses, unprotected IP. This toolkit is designed to change that.
Company Registration
The structure of your company determines how you can raise money, who can own equity, and how you pay taxes. We walk through the most common structures in Nigeria (Limited Liability Company), Kenya (Private Limited Company), Ghana, and South Africa, including costs, timelines, and what you need to know before incorporating in multiple jurisdictions.
Shareholder Agreements
A shareholder agreement is more important than your pitch deck. It governs what happens when co-founders disagree, when one person wants to leave, when someone dies, and when an acquisition offer comes in. We provide a plain-English guide to the key clauses and a free template you can adapt.
IP Protection
Your software, brand name, and content are your most valuable assets. We explain how to register trademarks in ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization), how to protect source code, and how to handle IP in co-founder agreements.