International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a member of The World Bank Group that focuses on fostering sustainable economic growth in developing countries through private sector investment. It provides a range of financial services, including loans, equity investments, quasi-equity products, and advisory services aimed at supporting startups and various stages of company development. IFC invests in sectors such as agribusiness, financial services, health, education, infrastructure, global manufacturing, oil and gas, telecommunications, and tourism, with a particular emphasis on projects that promote food security, digital finance, and affordable healthcare. The organization targets investments ranging from $1 million to $100 million, often seeking minority stakes but may also take a majority position in its portfolio companies. IFC aims to create jobs, generate tax revenues, and enhance corporate governance in emerging markets, thus contributing positively to local communities. Established in 1956 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., IFC operates globally with offices across various regions, focusing its efforts on financing projects that align with its mission of improving lives in developing countries.
Zenith Bank Plc, established in May 1990 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, is a leading commercial bank and the largest in the country by tier-1 capital. It became a public limited company in 2004 and is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. With a shareholder base of approximately one million, Zenith Bank operates over 500 branches across Nigeria. The bank has expanded its presence internationally, with subsidiaries in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gambia, as well as a UK subsidiary, Zenith Bank (UK) Limited, which offers various financial services including asset management and trade finance. Zenith Bank also has representative offices in South Africa and China, and it aims to further extend its brand across other African countries and into European and Asian markets.
Sierra Rutile is a leading mineral sands company, operating world-class assets in Sierra Leone. Sierra Rutile is in the process of significantly expanding its core rutile production, with associated increases of zircon and ilmenite by-products. Sierra Rutile’s assets are located in the Republic of Sierra Leone and center on the world-class natural rutile deposit located in the Southwest of the country. The deposit has a JORC-compliant resource of over 600 million tonnes at 1.29% rutile (measured, indicated and inferred resource, as of February 2011, at a 0.8% cut-off grade), making it one of the largest natural rutile deposits in the world.