Thread by @magattew

In 2004, the rulers of Dubai did something brilliant that almost nobody talks about.

They created a small legal zone, just 110 acres.

Inside it, they didn’t use UAE law. They used English common law.

That changed everything.

Let me explain: 🧵

The place is called DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre).

It’s not just some fancy office park. 

It’s a place where the rules are completely different.

Contracts, judges, courts… everything inside DIFC runs on common law, just like London or New York.

Why does that matter?

Because in common law, you don’t need permission to innovate.

If something’s not explicitly illegal, you can do it.

In civil law (like what France gave many African countries), it’s the opposite:

If something isn’t written in law, it’s automatically forbidden.

That’s why Dubai boomed.

They didn’t wait to “reform” the whole country.

They gave freedom somewhere and watched investors, entrepreneurs, and talent rush in.

Legal trust created economic trust.

Now contrast that with Francophone Africa.

We still run on the Napoleonic civil code, a system built in 1804, before electricity, airplanes, and the internet.

And then we wonder why nothing moves…

In civil law, you can’t start something new unless the state already predicted it and legalized it.

So if you want to build Uber in Senegal, the government says:

- Where’s the law for ride-sharing?
- Wait for legislation
- Maybe next year
- Maybe never

Meanwhile, in a common law country, you can just build Uber, TODAY.

If there’s a problem, courts deal with it later.

The innovation comes first. The law adapts after.

That’s the common law mindset.

Under civil law, the judge asks: “Did the lawmaker foresee this?”

Under common law, the judge asks: “What’s the fair outcome here?”

It’s flexibility vs rigidity. 

Adaptability vs permission.

And it’s not just business.

Civil law slows everything:

- AI startups
- Land ownership
- Medical innovation
- Education systems
- Local investments

…literally EVERYTHING.

Ask yourself: why do we love “pilot programs” so much in Francophone countries?

Because even when something works, we’re either too scared or too stuck in the law to make it real.

The law should be a launchpad, not a prison.

Africa doesn’t lack talented entrepreneurs and innovators.

It lacks systems that allow them to do their magic.

Yes, you can train and invest money in 100,000 entrepreneurs…

But if the system blocks them, what’s the point?

We don’t need to fix everything at once.

Just like Dubai, we can start small.

Give a piece of land different rules when it comes to business.

Let builders build.
Let the market decide.
Let the courts be fast and fair.

That’s exactly what we’re doing with @Prospera_Africa.

Just like Dubai’s @DIFC, we’re creating zones in Africa where entrepreneurs don’t have to beg for permission.

We use common law. We protect contracts. And we let you build.

If your legal system was written in 1804 by a French emperor who wanted to control society…

…it might not be the best tool for creating freedom in 2025.

Time to upgrade.