Helios Investors II

Helios Investors II is a private equity fund managed by Helios Investment Partners, established in 2009 and based in Lagos, Nigeria. The fund focuses on investments across Africa, particularly targeting the exploration, production, and refining sectors. Helios Investors II seeks to make impactful investments in areas such as energy, agriculture, and real estate. The firm aims to support growth-stage companies and engage in various investment types, including buyouts and structured investments. With a strong emphasis on the African market, particularly in countries like Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, Helios Investors II is committed to fostering economic development through its strategic investment approach.

Fope Adelowo

Principal

Lazarus Angbazo Ph.D

Partner and Head of Portfolio Operations - West Africa

Tavraj Banga

Partner and Co-Head of Climate Investments

Sola Carrena

Managing Director, Investment Team

Christina Drews

Partner, COO, Member of Executive Committee

Karim Engeh

Director, Portfolio Operations Group

Luciana Germinario

COO, Member of Executive Committee and Partner

Jamie Hollins

Principal, Investments

Nitin Kaul

Partner, Head of Portfolio Operations Group and Member of Executive and Investment Committees

Temitope Lawani

Managing Partner, Member of Executive and Investment Committees

Tope Lawani

Managing Partner

Cecilie Nielsen

Managing Director, Human Capital, Portfolio Operations Group

Ogbemi Ofuya

Partner, Investments

Simon Poole

Partner, Portfolio Operations Group

Max Von Trotha

Managing Director - Integration, Portfolio Operations Group

Elias Yazbeck

Managing Director

Zineb Abbad El Andaloussi

Partner

Past deals in East Africa

ZOLA Electric

Venture Round in 2021
Zola Electric provides off-grid solar solutions primarily for African markets, focusing on Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. The company offers solar home kits that can be either leased or purchased, utilizing a pay-as-you-go micro-finance model that accommodates various income levels. By employing advanced solar, battery, and power electronics technology, Zola Electric delivers renewable energy systems tailored to the needs of individual households and businesses in rural communities. Since its inception in 2012, the company has powered over 180,000 homes and businesses. Formerly known as Off-Grid Electric Tanzania Limited, it rebranded to Zola Electric in July 2018 and has established its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, with an additional office in San Francisco, California. The company has garnered recognition through various awards and has attracted investment from notable firms, including Tesla and EDF.

Africell Holding

Debt Financing in 2021
Africell was established in 2001 in Africa and has been shaped by traditional African values, putting the communities in their markets at the heart and soul of our business. Connecting and empowering local communities lies at the very core of our strategy. Africell is one of the fastest-growing mobile telecommunications operators in Africa. They have established theirselves as the number one provider in Gambia and Sierra Leone and are rapidly growing our newer operations in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where we purchased Orange Uganda. Africell Holding owns 100% of Africell’s operations in Gambia, Sierra Leone, DRC, and 98.99% of Africell Uganda. The total number of active subscribers reached 11 million by end of 2016. All four operations offer voice and 3G data services with plans to deploy LTE services, which are already available in Kampala, Uganda.

Taptap Send

Venture Round in 2020
Taptap Send is an app that lets immigrants send money back home to Africa instantly and at very low prices. Since launching in summer 2018, it has already moved tens of millions of dollars and reached tens of thousands of customers. It is live in seven European countries, and support payments into Senegal, Mali, Zambia, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, with more countries launching soon.

Africell Holding

Debt Financing in 2018
Africell was established in 2001 in Africa and has been shaped by traditional African values, putting the communities in their markets at the heart and soul of our business. Connecting and empowering local communities lies at the very core of our strategy. Africell is one of the fastest-growing mobile telecommunications operators in Africa. They have established theirselves as the number one provider in Gambia and Sierra Leone and are rapidly growing our newer operations in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where we purchased Orange Uganda. Africell Holding owns 100% of Africell’s operations in Gambia, Sierra Leone, DRC, and 98.99% of Africell Uganda. The total number of active subscribers reached 11 million by end of 2016. All four operations offer voice and 3G data services with plans to deploy LTE services, which are already available in Kampala, Uganda.

ZOLA Electric

Series D in 2018
Zola Electric provides off-grid solar solutions primarily for African markets, focusing on Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. The company offers solar home kits that can be either leased or purchased, utilizing a pay-as-you-go micro-finance model that accommodates various income levels. By employing advanced solar, battery, and power electronics technology, Zola Electric delivers renewable energy systems tailored to the needs of individual households and businesses in rural communities. Since its inception in 2012, the company has powered over 180,000 homes and businesses. Formerly known as Off-Grid Electric Tanzania Limited, it rebranded to Zola Electric in July 2018 and has established its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, with an additional office in San Francisco, California. The company has garnered recognition through various awards and has attracted investment from notable firms, including Tesla and EDF.

ZOLA Electric

Series D in 2016
Zola Electric provides off-grid solar solutions primarily for African markets, focusing on Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. The company offers solar home kits that can be either leased or purchased, utilizing a pay-as-you-go micro-finance model that accommodates various income levels. By employing advanced solar, battery, and power electronics technology, Zola Electric delivers renewable energy systems tailored to the needs of individual households and businesses in rural communities. Since its inception in 2012, the company has powered over 180,000 homes and businesses. Formerly known as Off-Grid Electric Tanzania Limited, it rebranded to Zola Electric in July 2018 and has established its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, with an additional office in San Francisco, California. The company has garnered recognition through various awards and has attracted investment from notable firms, including Tesla and EDF.

Telkom Kenya

Acquisition in 2016
Telkom Kenya, established in April 1999, is a telecommunications operator offering a comprehensive range of integrated communication solutions in Kenya. The company provides voice and data services, including broadband, messaging, and various other communication connections, catering to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, government entities, and large corporations. With a significant presence across the country, Telkom Kenya serves millions of customers, ensuring uninterrupted network connectivity for both commercial and non-commercial users. The company plays a vital role in the information and communications technology sector, contributing to the advancement of communication infrastructure in Kenya.

Africa Oil

Post in 2015
Africa Oil is a Canadian oil and gas exploration company focused on emerging markets in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as Puntland in Somalia through its equity interest in Africa Energy Corp. The company holds a significant land package exceeding 200,000 square kilometers in the East African Rift Basin, a region noted for its exploration potential. Africa Oil has been involved in several notable oil discoveries, particularly in the Lokichar basin of Kenya, where it has a 50% interest alongside operator Tullow Oil. The company is actively engaged in advancing its exploration projects in this prolific area.

Wananchi Group

Private Equity Round in 2014
Wananchi Group Holdings Limited, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, is a prominent provider of home entertainment and communication services in East Africa. The company serves both residential and corporate customers, offering a range of services that includes high-speed internet via its fiber optic network, DTH satellite pay TV, and original programming for its pay TV channels. In the corporate sector, Wananchi provides voice, video, data, and internet connectivity to enterprises, governments, and media organizations. Additionally, it offers value-added services such as data security, cloud solutions, and web hosting. Wananchi Group is recognized for its commitment to delivering high-quality and affordable services, making it a key player in the region's telecommunications and entertainment industries.

Helios Towers Africa

Private Equity Round in 2014
Helios Towers Africa has operations in Ghana, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and a sister company in Nigeria. The number of mobile subscribers in Africa has increased from just 16 million people in 2000 to over 500 million today. Based on these growth levels and without an increase in the sharing of telecoms tower facilities, the number of towers in Africa will need to double from the current number of 75,000, a significant environmental impact.

Bayport Management

Private Equity Round in 2013
Bayport Management Limited, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Ebene, Mauritius, offers a range of retail financial services across multiple countries, including Zambia, Ghana, and South Africa. The company's services include personal loans—such as payroll and retail loans—alongside savings accounts, flexible deposits, and transaction accounts. Additionally, Bayport provides mobile banking solutions, e-wallets, payment kiosks, and ATM services to enhance customer accessibility. To further support its clients, the company also offers credit insurance and protection plans for education, hospital, and funeral expenses. As a parent company, Bayport Management oversees its subsidiaries, including Bayport Financial Services Limited, which specializes in microfinance lending for low and middle-income borrowers and small businesses since its incorporation in 2002.

Equity Group Holdings

Private Equity Round in 2007
Equity Bank Kenya is a financial services provider headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. It is licensed as a commercial bank by the central bank of Kenya, the central bank, and national banking regulator. Equity Bank Kenya Limited was incorporated in 2014 as a result of the corporate restructure of Equity Group Holdings Limited.
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