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Sammy Ndolo

Kenya Managing Partner, Partner

Sammy Ndolo is the Kenya Managing Partner, and Partner in our Corporate & Commercial, Banking, Finance & Projects, and Competition Law practice areas. Sammy is a leading specialist in finance and banking, restructurings and workouts, capital markets transactions and mergers and acquisitions.

+254 731 086 649 | +254 710 560 114
sammy.ndolo@cdhlegal.comNairobi
Sammy Ndolo

About Sammy

About Sammy

Sammy began his career at a law firm in Kenya and was appointed Partner until 2017. He later joined Kieti as Managing Partner.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • Masters of Laws (LL.M) (with distinction) (Best Graduating Student), International Corporate Governance & Financial Regulation, University of Warwick
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) (Honours), University of Nairobi
  • Year of admission: 2010

Membership

  • Law Society of Kenya
  • International Bar Association

Languages

Languages

  • English
  • Swahili

About Sammy

Sammy began his career at a law firm in Kenya and was appointed Partner until 2017. He later joined Kieti as Managing Partner.

Credentials

Education

  • Masters of Laws (LL.M) (with distinction) (Best Graduating Student), International Corporate Governance & Financial Regulation, University of Warwick
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) (Honours), University of Nairobi
  • Year of admission: 2010

Membership

  • Law Society of Kenya
  • International Bar Association

Languages

  • English
  • Swahili

Experience

South Africa-based cement manufacturer

Advising a South Africa-based cement manufacturer and its subsidiary, listed on the JSE, on the proposed sale of its shares in a Rwanda-based cement company, listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange.

Acumen

Advising Acumen and conducted due diligence on a Kenya-based company providing storage solutions in the agricultural sector.

Sasini PLC

Assisting Sasini PLC in relation to its proposed acquisition of a leading tea producer in Kenya, with operating subsidiaries in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

UK Based insurer

Advising a UK Based insurer, who is underwriting a W&I insurance policy relating to an investment into a leading insurance company based in Kenya.

South Africa-based integrated renewable energy IPP

Advising a leading South Africa-based integrated renewable energy IPP on its acquisition of the 60MW Kesses power plant. This was part of a larger acquisition by the client of renewable power projects in Kenya, Namibia and Mozambique.

Spark+Africa Fund SCSP, Blue Orchard Credit and Nithio

Advised Spark+Africa Fund SCSP, Blue Orchard Credit and Nithio in relation to each of their facilities to Alternative Energy Group SARL (Altech). Our team assisted with reviewing each of the loan agreements, security documents and the intercreditor agreement. We also issued local law enforceability and English law opinions; and assisted with the registration of the security documents in favour of the lenders in the DRC.

IFC and CDP

Advising the IFC and CDP in relation to their senior term loan facility to Eni Kenya. Our role included reviewing the English-law governed common term loan agreement as well as the loan agreements for each of the IFC and CDP. We advised on the necessary permits required of the borrower to undertake its projects in Kenya and prepared a legal opinion for the benefit of both IFC and CDP.

South Africa-based bank as lender

Advised a South Africa-based bank as lender on its term loan facility to a warehousing industry in We led work revising and updating the security package to alter the asset base covered by the security, including the preparation, negotiation, and perfection of a memorandum of variation of charge and deed of amendment of lease. 

Netherlands-based global co-operative society

Advised a leading Netherlands-based global co-operative society in relation to its facility to a social enterprise that produces and distributes clean cookstoves in Kenya and across Africa. Our team assisted in the review of the English law-governed facility agreement, preparation and perfection of the Kenyan law-governed security documents, and issuing English law and Kenyan law enforceability opinions.

Top-tier bank based in Mauritius

Assisting a top-tier bank based in Mauritius with the review of the facility letter, general terms of trade, the instruction letter, the banker’s lien, and the deed of assignment to ensure compliance with Kenyan law, and preparing a specific debenture to secure the facilities extended to the borrowers. The transaction involved attempting to secure financing for a borrower with existing liabilities from a different lender.

Sweden-based impact fintech firm

Representing a Sweden-based impact fintech firm operating a regulated crowdfunding platform for solar energy projects in emerging markets, in connection with a cross-border financing to a local borrower, including legal due diligence on the borrower and sponsor, and drafting and negotiating English-law and Kenyan-law transaction documents.

US-based innovative global payments platform

Advising a leading US-based innovative global payments platform transforming the landscape of cross-border financial services, on its multi-jurisdictional expansion of operations into Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria through partnerships with licensed industry players to facilitate cross-border transactions, both in terms of money and crypto assets, including digital assets and cryptocurrencies. We are providing comprehensive regulatory and commercial advice, including jurisdiction-specific guidance on licensing requirements, regulatory risks and compliance obligations across all three markets.

Digital lending company

Advised a digital lending company on the process of successfully obtaining a digital credit provider (DCP) licence from the Central Bank of Kenya.

Kenya-based payment system service provider

Advising a leading Kenya-based payment system service provider to address the challenge of integrating retail payments and inter-banking money transfer services in Kenya and on various regulatory and compliance matters, including participant onboarding requirements; facilitation of cross-border payments by payment service providers under the National Payment Systems Act; and compliance with Central Bank of Kenya directives

Kenya-based tech company

Advised a Kenya-based tech company in the agricultural industry in relation to its Software as a Service (SaaS) tool, which is intended to mitigate financial intermediaries' risks associated with lending in the agricultural sector.

News

Shareholding limit changes for market intermediaries under the proposed amendments to the Capital Markets Act
Corporate & Commercial Law

Shareholding limit changes for market intermediaries under the proposed amendments to the Capital Markets Act

The Capital Markets Act, Cap. 485A (Act) contains detailed provisions on the governance and ownership structures of licensed market intermediaries. Specifically, the Act restricts...
Kenyan High Court confirms that foreign companies can sue in Kenya without local registration
Corporate & Commercial Law

Kenyan High Court confirms that foreign companies can sue in Kenya without local registration

After exactly one year, the Kenyan High Court has delivered a significant ruling that will be of interest to foreign companies dealing withKenyancounterparts. 
Sweeping reforms proposed for trusts by the Trust Administration Bill, 2025
Corporate & Commercial Law

Sweeping reforms proposed for trusts by the Trust Administration Bill, 2025

The Trust Administration Bill, 2025 (Bill), which has now been published for comment, is a far-reaching legislative proposal that seeks to codify the law relating to trusts, streamline...
CDH bolsters its Corporate & White-Collar Investigations offering with the appointment of leading forensic experts Annemari Krugel and Rimo Benjamin
Firm News

CDH bolsters its Corporate & White-Collar Investigations offering with the appointment of leading forensic experts Annemari Krugel and Rimo Benjamin

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), a leading corporate and commercial law firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Annemari Krugel as Director and Rimo Benjamin as Counsel in the...
Court’s approach to balancing contractual freedom with protection against unconscionable contract terms
Banking, Finance & Projects

Court’s approach to balancing contractual freedom with protection against unconscionable contract terms

In a recent landmark decision, Kanwal Sarjit Singh Dhiman v Kenshvaji Jivraj Shah eKLR, the Court of Appeal (Court) addressed, among other things, the enforceability of contracts containing exploitative...

All articles by Sammy
The Art of Corporate Revival: Exploring Effective Turnaround Tools & Strategising
Corporate Debt, Turnaround & Restructuring

The Art of Corporate Revival: Exploring Effective Turnaround Tools & Strategising

CDH hosted a panel discussion titled "The Art of Corporate Revival: Exploring Effective Turnaround Tools & Strategising."
Re-thinking industrialization in Kenya and the East Africa Community. What does the future hold?
Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade

Re-thinking industrialization in Kenya and the East Africa Community. What does the future hold?

CDH in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce Kenya hosted an informal breakfast event to discuss matters that affect the future of business in an everchanging market.
LGC Pulse with Kieti Law LLP

LGC Pulse with Kieti Law LLP

LGC Pulse with Kieti Law LLP

All videos by Sammy
NjeriTalksLaw - Episode 1 | Formation and Beyond

NjeriTalksLaw - Episode 1 | Formation and Beyond

In this episode, Njeri talks to Partners, Sammy Ndolo and Shem Otanga, about starting and growing a law firm.

All podcasts by Sammy

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2024–2025 ranked him in Band 3 for banking & finance.
  • Chambers Fintech Legal 2025 ranked Sammy in Band 3.
  • Chambers Global 2021–2025 ranked Sammy in Band 4 for corporate/M&A. 
  • Chambers Global 2023–2024 ranked him in Band 4 for banking & finance.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2025 recommended him for banking, finance & capital markets
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - 2025 also recommended Sammy for corporate, commercial/M&A.
  • IFLR1000 2021–2024 ranked Sammy as a notable practitioner in Private Equity, M&A.

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2024–2025 ranked him in Band 3 for banking & finance.
  • Chambers Fintech Legal 2025 ranked Sammy in Band 3.
  • Chambers Global 2021–2025 ranked Sammy in Band 4 for corporate/M&A. 
  • Chambers Global 2023–2024 ranked him in Band 4 for banking & finance.
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2022–2025 recommended him for banking, finance & capital markets
  • The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 - 2025 also recommended Sammy for corporate, commercial/M&A.
  • IFLR1000 2021–2024 ranked Sammy as a notable practitioner in Private Equity, M&A.

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