Investor directory

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.

Focus

Scale StageSeries BAfricaSeries CEarly VentureShow more
http://www.ifc.org
https://crunchbase.com/organization/international-finance-corporation
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https://www.capitaliq.com/CIQDotNet/company.aspx?companyId=427392

Hyung K. Ahn

Principal Investment Officer

Irene Arias

Global Director of Financial Institutions Group and Director of Latin America and the Caribbean

Georgina Baker

Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia

Paulo de Bolle

Global Director

Peter Joseph Cashion

Head of Climate Finance FIG and CIO

Andrea Engel

Senior Country Officer, Principal Country Officer and Principal Country Manager

Rapti Goonesekere

Principal Economist

Christian Grossmann

Director for Climate Change

Mandeep Julka

Associate Investment Officer

Rana Karadsheh

Principal Investment Officer and Country Manager

Kyle Kelhofer

Country Manager for Vietnam

Alzbeta Klein

Global Industries Director and Director of Climate Business

Galina Vsevolodovna Klimenko

Principal Investment Officer of Financial Markets

Toshitake Kurosawa

Director

Mouayed Makhlouf

Regional Director of Middle East and North Africa

Paolo M. Martelli

Regional Industry Director of Latin America and the Caribbean

Atul Mehta

Senior Director of Telecom, Media and Tech, Venture Investing and Funds

Vivek Pathak

Director of East Asia and Pacific

Mary Porter Peshka

Director of Cross-cutting Advisory Services

Tomasz Telma

Senior Director of Manufacturing, Agri. and Services

Mary Beth Ward

Principal Syndications Officer and Team Leader

Tracy Washington

Principal Investment Officer for Global PE Funds and Regional and Sectoral Lead of SME Ventures Program

Past deals in Africa

M-KOPA

Debt Financing in 2023
M-KOPA Kenya Limited, established in 2011 and headquartered in Nairobi, specializes in developing and marketing solar home systems designed for off-grid customers. The company offers a range of solar products, including systems equipped with lights, phone charging capabilities, and solar-powered radios. M-KOPA began commercial operations in Kenya in 2012 and has since expanded its services to Uganda and Tanzania. The company operates through a network of over 1,000 retail agents and shops, employing a team of more than 500 staff. M-KOPA is recognized for its innovative "pay-as-you-go" energy services, which leverage a proprietary technology platform that integrates mobile payments and asset financing, facilitating access to affordable energy solutions for underserved communities. The firm is also exploring opportunities to license its technology to reputable partners in markets beyond East Africa.

Wave Mobile Money

Debt Financing in 2022
Wave Mobile Money provides an app-based financial solution to save, transfer, and borrow money. Wave Mobile Money is on a mission to make Africa the first cashless continent. On a continent where less than 10% of the population has a bank account, Wave is building the first modern financial network — no account fees, instantly available, and accepted everywhere! It is building life-changing financial infrastructure. When mobile money succeeded in Kenya, it lifted about a million people out of poverty. And yet, over 10 years later, most Africans still lack access to affordable ways to save, transfer or borrow the money they need to build businesses or provide for their families. Wave is solving this problem by using technology to build a radically inclusive and extremely affordable financial network.

Gozem

Venture Round in 2022
Gozem is a transport technology platform for Francophone West and Central Africa.

Equity Group Holdings

Post in 2022
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.

Absa Bank

Funding Round in 2021
Absa Group Limited is a prominent financial services provider based in Johannesburg, South Africa, offering a diverse range of products and services both locally and internationally. The company specializes in personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, as well as wealth and investment management. Its offerings include residential property finance, vehicle and asset finance, credit cards, personal loans, and a variety of insurance products. Absa also provides commercial property finance, agricultural loans, and a suite of transactional banking options, including savings and investment services. Additionally, the bank offers investment banking services, private equity, and corporate banking products, along with life insurance and fiduciary services. Absa's commitment to serving individual, enterprise, and commercial customers is evident through its comprehensive financial solutions, which include treasury services and cash management. The company was previously known as Barclays Africa Group Limited before rebranding to Absa Group Limited in May 2018.

Maxab

Series A in 2021
Maxab is a business-to-business e-commerce marketplace that links food and grocery retailers with suppliers in Egypt, particularly in underserved areas. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cairo, the company utilizes data-driven technologies and advanced supply chain solutions to enhance the food and grocery market. Maxab's platform streamlines access to a diverse range of products, providing retailers with premium service and operational support. Additionally, the company has established a logistics network to facilitate the efficient distribution of goods throughout Egypt, ensuring that the right quantity of food reaches the appropriate locations at the right time.

Maxab

Series A in 2021
Maxab is a business-to-business e-commerce marketplace that links food and grocery retailers with suppliers in Egypt, particularly in underserved areas. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cairo, the company utilizes data-driven technologies and advanced supply chain solutions to enhance the food and grocery market. Maxab's platform streamlines access to a diverse range of products, providing retailers with premium service and operational support. Additionally, the company has established a logistics network to facilitate the efficient distribution of goods throughout Egypt, ensuring that the right quantity of food reaches the appropriate locations at the right time.

Maxab

Series A in 2021
Maxab is a business-to-business e-commerce marketplace that links food and grocery retailers with suppliers in Egypt, particularly in underserved areas. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cairo, the company utilizes data-driven technologies and advanced supply chain solutions to enhance the food and grocery market. Maxab's platform streamlines access to a diverse range of products, providing retailers with premium service and operational support. Additionally, the company has established a logistics network to facilitate the efficient distribution of goods throughout Egypt, ensuring that the right quantity of food reaches the appropriate locations at the right time.

Eastcastle Infrastructure

Private Equity Round in 2021
Eastcastle Infrastructure is a company focused on the telecommunications tower sector in Africa. It develops telecommunications towers to enhance connectivity for consumers and communities across the continent. The company designs telecom sites based on specific coverage and capacity requirements, offering solutions such as co-location, in-building coverage, and managed services. These offerings allow clients to share existing sites, ensure indoor coverage in large buildings, and effectively address their telecommunications infrastructure needs.

Liquid Telecom

Debt Financing in 2021
Liquid Telecom is an independent data, voice, and IP provider that commits to build a digital future. Liquid Telecom has built Africa’s largest single fibre network, currently stretching over 18,000km across Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho and South Africa. The award-winning Pan-African fibre network covers Africa’s fastest growing economies, where no fixed network has existed before.

Twiga Foods

Debt Financing in 2020
Twiga Foods Ltd. operates a mobile-based business-to-business supply platform, serving retail outlets, kiosks, and market stalls across Africa. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company facilitates the ordering of various supplies, including bananas, pineapples, and tomatoes, through its innovative platform. Twiga Foods aims to streamline the supply chain and enhance access to essential goods for millions of small and medium-sized vendors in urban markets throughout the continent.

Union Bank of Nigeria

Debt Financing in 2020
Union Bank of Nigeria Plc is a retail and commercial bank headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with a history dating back to 1917. The bank offers a diverse range of financial products and services tailored for individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and corporate clients, primarily within Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Its operations are organized into four main segments: Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, and Treasury. The bank provides essential services such as current and savings accounts, debit cards, and online and mobile banking. Additionally, it supports SMEs with specialized accounts, loans, and financial solutions, along with comprehensive offerings in cash management, trade finance, and agribusiness. Union Bank of Nigeria Plc operates as a subsidiary of Union Global Partners Limited.

Equity Group Holdings

Debt Financing in 2020
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.

Access Bank

Post in 2020
Access Bank provides banking products and services to individual and business customers in Ghana. It offers standard savings and current, access advantage, solo, and premier accounts. The company also provides online banking services that include ATM, online access, and point-of-sale terminal services; and bills payment and Western Union money transfer services.

Zenith Bank

Debt Financing in 2020
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.

Grainpulse

Venture Round in 2019
Grainpulse Limited offers collection, storage, processing, and loading of coffee, grains, and animal feed. The company also offers fertilizers blends. Grainpulse Limited was founded in 2002 and is based in Kampala, Uganda.

Sierra Rutile

Venture Round in 2019
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.

Vezeeta

Series C in 2018
Vezeeta is the digital healthcare platform in MEA that connects patients with healthcare providers and health services. Patients are able to search, compare, book and review the best doctors in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Lebanon. It also provides innovative SaaS solutions to healthcare providers in the region. Vezeeta empowers millions of patients through data and the ability to better access healthcare in the region. With over 200,000 verified reviews, patients are able to search, compare, and book the best doctors in just 1 minute. Doctors also provide Patients with seamless healthcare experiences through our clinic management software.

Twiga Foods

Series B in 2018
Twiga Foods Ltd. operates a mobile-based business-to-business supply platform, serving retail outlets, kiosks, and market stalls across Africa. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company facilitates the ordering of various supplies, including bananas, pineapples, and tomatoes, through its innovative platform. Twiga Foods aims to streamline the supply chain and enhance access to essential goods for millions of small and medium-sized vendors in urban markets throughout the continent.

Apex International Energy

Private Equity Round in 2018
Apex International Energy Management LLC operates as an oil and gas exploration and production company that focuses on Egypt. It engages in asset acquisitions and capital investments in drilling, infrastructure, and production enhancement to deliver long-term profitable growth in production and reserves. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Houston, Texas with an additional office in Cairo, Egypt.

Twiga Foods

Series B in 2018
Twiga Foods Ltd. operates a mobile-based business-to-business supply platform, serving retail outlets, kiosks, and market stalls across Africa. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company facilitates the ordering of various supplies, including bananas, pineapples, and tomatoes, through its innovative platform. Twiga Foods aims to streamline the supply chain and enhance access to essential goods for millions of small and medium-sized vendors in urban markets throughout the continent.

Africa's Talking

Series A in 2017
Africa's Talking Ltd. is a Kenya-based information technology company that specializes in providing communication solutions tailored for the African market. Founded in 2010 by Eston Kimani and Samuel Gikandi, the company offers a range of services including bulk SMS, short codes, premium SMS, USSD, and MMS, catering to individuals, businesses, and developers. Its platform enables reliable two-way communication and integrates with various mobile providers across the continent. Africa's Talking also provides customized mobile messaging solutions, voice and premium voice channels, and mobile advertising. With a focus on enhancing the growth and use of information technology in Africa, the company supports developers through an API that allows for the connection of short codes and the sending of SMS messages. It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Csquared

Venture Round in 2017
Csquared, based in Nairobi, Kenya, specializes in building and operating metro fiber and Wi-Fi networks to enhance Internet connectivity for local providers. Established in 2013 from Google's Project Link, the company facilitates Internet service providers and mobile network operators in Uganda and Ghana, allowing them to deliver broadband and Wi-Fi services to homeowners, small businesses, and mobile users. By providing shared infrastructure, Csquared enables these providers to offer broadband at reduced costs, thereby expanding access to the Internet for a broader audience.

Flat6labs

Seed Round in 2016
Flat6Labs is a startup accelerator based in Cairo, Egypt, founded in 2011. It focuses on seed stage investments and supports entrepreneurs in the critical early development phases of their ventures. Every four months, Flat6Labs selects a number of startups from Egypt and the MENA region, providing them with seed capital, mentorship, and office space. The accelerator emphasizes real-world entrepreneurial challenges through immersive, interactive educational programs developed in collaboration with the American University in Cairo. Flat6Labs has expanded its presence beyond Egypt, with additional offices in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Jeddah, Manama, and Tunis. The organization also participates in early-stage venture capital initiatives, including partnerships with Saudi Venture Capital Company to manage funds targeting various sectors such as information technology, transportation, mobile technology, big data, and virtual reality. In 2012, Flat6Labs became the first African member of the Global Accelerator Network.

ADvTECH

Post in 2016
ADvTECH Limited operates in South Africa, focusing on education, training, and staff placement services. It comprises three main divisions: Schools, Tertiary, and Resourcing. The Schools division delivers pre-primary, primary, and secondary education, while the Tertiary division provides diploma, degree, and postgraduate programs through both face-to-face and distance learning formats. The Resourcing division specializes in staffing solutions, offering permanent, temporary, and contract placements across various sectors, including engineering, finance, and information technology. ADvTECH is headquartered in Sandton and plays a significant role in enhancing human capacity development in the private sector.

Lekela Power

Private Equity Round in 2016
Lekela Power B.V. is a renewable energy generation platform that delivers utility scale wind and solar projects into commercial operation in Africa. The company currently develops, constructs, and operates a portfolio of projects in Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, and Senegal. It provides renewable energy to consumers, such as government, utilities, and large-scale industrial consumers. The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Lekela Power B.V. operates as a subsidiary of Mainstream Renewable Power Limited.

Hygeia Group

Venture Round in 2016
Hygeia is the West African provider of integrated healthcare. Hygeia began operating in 1986 at what has now become its flagship hospital, Lagoon Hospital Apapa, a multi-specialist tertiary facility in Lagos, Nigeria. Since then the company has expanded its business to include two further hospitals in the Ikeja and Victoria Island districts of Lagos as well as two subsidiaries operating in the Health Insurance market - Hygeia HMO (Health Management Organisation) and Hygeia Community Health Plan. Hygeia HMO is a health maintenance organisation providing managed care to over 400,000 enrolees from over 250 corporate clients. Hygeia HMO works with a strong network of over 1,200 providers nationwide. Hygeia Community Health plan is a donor funded initiative that aims to improve access to quality healthcare for low income groups in Nigeria.

Tiger Resources

Post in 2015
Tiger Resources Ltd is an Australian-based company focused on the discovery, development and exploration of high-grade copper/cobalt deposits in the world-renowned Katanga Copper Belt in the DRC.

Afrimax

Private Equity Round in 2015
Afrimax, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, started in 2010. We have built up the largest portfolio of 4G TD-LTE spectrum in a number of countries across Sub-Sahara African. We are now starting commercial operations in our licensed markets, bringing the Vodafone brand to new parts of Africa and providing world class products and services to over 220 million people in the Afrimax-Vodafone markets.

Roxgold

Post in 2015
Roxgold Inc. is a Canadian gold mining company focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral properties. The company holds a significant interest in the Yaramoko gold project, located in the Houndé greenstone belt of Burkina Faso, which encompasses approximately 200 square kilometers. Additionally, Roxgold owns the Séguéla gold project in Côte d'Ivoire, comprising 11 mineral exploration permits. The company also explores other properties, including the Houko, Solna, and Boussoura exploration sites in Burkina Faso. Roxgold's primary income is generated from gold sales, and it aims to advance its projects through various stages of development, from exploration to construction and potential disposal. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Roxgold is committed to the exploration and evaluation of its mineral assets.

Zola Electric

Debt Financing in 2015
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.

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.

Jabi Lake Mall

Venture Round in 2014
Jabi Lake Mall is a prominent retail center located in Abuja, Nigeria, owned and operated by Actis Jabi Lake Mall Development Company Limited. The mall boasts 27,000 square meters of grade-A shopping space, providing a diverse range of shopping experiences for visitors. With its strategic location, Jabi Lake Mall serves as a key destination for both locals and tourists, featuring various retail outlets, dining options, and entertainment facilities. Its modern design and comprehensive amenities contribute to its status as a significant commercial hub in the region.

Seven Energy

Venture Round in 2014
Seven Energy is an indigenous Nigerian oil and gas exploration, development, production and distribution company with a vision to be the leading supplier of gas to the domestic market for power generation and industrial consumption. Our objective is to exploit first mover advantage as a supplier to the domestic gas market in our core operating areas and to maximise shareholder value through sustainable long-term growth across the full value chain. Our business model is designed to capture the full value chain from upstream appraisal, development and production, to ownership of processing and distribution infrastructure and marketing to end users. This model is supported by an experienced management team, high standards of corporate governance and social responsibility and underpinned by a robust capital structure. Headquartered in Lagos and London, Seven Energy has an upstream reserves and resources base of in excess of 350 MMboe, midstream processing and distribution capacity of 200 MMcfpd and long-term gas sales agreements in place to supply over 1 Tcf of gas to the domestic market. In Nigeria, Seven Energy operates through its wholly-owned and principal subsidiaries, Septa Energy Nigeria and Accugas.

AB Microfinance Bank Nigeria

Debt Financing in 2014
AB Microfinance Bank Nigeria Limited is a foreign-owned financial institution located in Lagos, Nigeria, established in 2008. The bank specializes in providing a range of financial products and services tailored for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as well as clients within the lower income bracket. Its offerings include savings, current, and term deposit accounts, along with a diverse lending portfolio that features micro, small, and medium enterprise loans. As a subsidiary of Access Microfinance Holding AG, AB Microfinance Bank aims to support the financial needs of its customers by fostering economic development in Nigeria.

Afrimax

Venture Round in 2013
Afrimax, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, started in 2010. We have built up the largest portfolio of 4G TD-LTE spectrum in a number of countries across Sub-Sahara African. We are now starting commercial operations in our licensed markets, bringing the Vodafone brand to new parts of Africa and providing world class products and services to over 220 million people in the Afrimax-Vodafone markets.

Tigo

Venture Round in 2005
Tigo is an international telecommunications and media company headquartered in Accra, Ghana. It provides a range of services including cable, satellite, broadband, and e-commerce solutions. With a global presence, Tigo aims to deliver diverse media offerings to its customers, enhancing connectivity and access to information across various markets.