Sierra Leone continues to shine on the global academic stage as one of its brightest legal minds, Fatmata Forster, has been awarded the Laszlo Gombo Prize for emerging as the Top-Ranking LLM Student at the University of Dundee in Scotland for the 2023/24 academic year.
Fatmata graduated in November 2024 with an LLM in International Energy Law and Policy (with Distinction) from the university’s Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP)—a world-renowned institution in the field of energy and natural resource law.
In addition to topping her class, her dissertation—“The Role of Climate Finance in Improving Energy Access and Achieving SDG7 in Sub-Saharan Africa”—was also awarded a distinction, a further testament to her academic excellence and commitment to addressing some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.
Reflecting on her journey, Fatmata shared:
“The programme was comprehensive, covering the full life cycle of energy projects—from negotiations and investments to implementation and dispute resolution. Core modules such as international investment law, energy disputes, competition law, transatlantic negotiations, and project finance provided a solid foundation for understanding the complex legal and policy dimensions of the global energy sector.”
Fatmata’s academic pursuit was made possible through the Chevening Scholarship, a prestigious UK government-funded programme that supports outstanding individuals with leadership potential from across the world. She expressed her gratitude to the Chevening Secretariat and her professors at Dundee for their guidance and support throughout the programme.
Now back in Sierra Leone, Fatmata hopes to use her expertise to influence policy, support climate resilience efforts, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s energy development agenda.
Her success story is a proud moment for the nation and an inspiration to young Sierra Leoneans—especially women—who aspire to break new ground in the fields of law, energy, and climate change.