The AAA was conceived due to the rising demand for improved expertise and training of arbitration practitioners in Africa and to expose young practitioners to the current trends and developments in international commercial and investment treaty arbitration. The inaugural Academy program was held in London (June 2019) and taught by international arbitration experts (academics and practitioners), heads of arbitration institutions, in-house counsel and judges. The overall objective of the Academy is to provide the much-needed specialized training to young arbitration practitioners from Africa and to equip them with the right set of skills to succeed within the international arbitration community.

The 2019 three-week advanced training was offered in different formats including lectures, workshops and seminars. There were also mentoring sessions where renowned arbitration experts shared career tips and life experiences with participants. Participants were involved in team building exercises, networking events in law firms, and mock arbitration competition. Through the lectures, networking receptions and workshops, participants expanded their perspectives on international arbitration and were enriched with better professional skills and knowledge.

Aside the training programmes, the Academy has also been at the forefront of developments of interest to Africa and is always keen on leading the way to innovation and to developing the practice of international arbitration in Africa. In 2020, during the pandemic, the Academy launched the Protocol on Virtual Hearings in Africa, which considered the specific challenges and circumstances that may arise in relation to virtual hearings within Africa. The Protocol has been adopted by arbitral institutions in Africa - including the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (NCIA) and by Sierra Leone in her Arbitration Act 2022.

In 2022, the Academy launched the survey on costs and dispute funding in Africa – funded by the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). This is the first Africa-wide survey focusing on costs of resolving disputes, the financing of claims, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on litigation and arbitration costs and measures to drive cost-efficiency in African disputes. Also in 2022, the Academy published its Model Bilateral Investment Treaty for African States. The Academy’s Model BIT has been developed as a comprehensive document comprising of uniform texts which African States may adopt as a basis for developing their specific model investment treaties. It is to serve as a source of cohesion for African States in relation to their ISDS reform strategies and promote the harmonization of African States’ investment policies and laws.

The Academy is perceived as a game changer in the world of arbitration in Africa and is impacting the lives of legal practitioners in the continent. It was voted “Innovation of the Year” at the Africa Arbitration Awards, held in Nairobi, Kenya in August 2019. The Protocol on Virtual Hearings in Africa has won several awards including the “Innovation in Arbitration Award”. The Model BIT for Africa published by the Academy was nominated for three awards at the 2023 GAR Awards - including "best development", "best innovation" and "sustainability in arbitration" awards.

The Academy is led by Dr. Abayomi Okubote, FCIArb with the support of the Management Team.