Fairfax Financial Holdings to Raise $500 Million for Africa Fund

Fairfax Financial Holdings to Raise $500 Million for Africa Fund

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Prem Watsa’s Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited is expected to raise about $500 million for its new African investment fund, attracting less than its original goal as investor interest in the region proved weaker than anticipated, according to people familiar with the matter. The Toronto-based insurer sought to raise as much as $1 billion at $10 a share for Fairfax Africa Holdings Corp. in an initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, according…

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Stefanutti to Raise $74 Million for Black-Owned Coal Miners

Stefanutti to Raise $74 Million for Black-Owned Coal Miners

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Stefanutti Stocks Holdings Ltd., a South African construction firm, plans to raise a 1 billion-rand ($74 million) fund to invest in coal mining operators majority-owned by black investors. The building company is working in partnership with Africa-focused investment group Jaltech Financial Consultants to set up the JSS Empowerment Mining Fund and source the necessary capital from wealthy individuals, according to JSS money manager Gaurav Nair. Participants will receive a tax benefit on…

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Canada’s Mawer Offers New Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Canada’s Mawer Offers New Emerging Markets Equity Fund

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Mawer Investment Management Ltd. (Mawer)  launched a new fund today, offering investors an opportunity to invest in emerging markets using Mawer’s time-tested investment approach: “Be Boring. Make Money™” Mawer has 30 years of experience investing in emerging markets within its International equity strategy and more recently in its global small cap and global equity strategies. The new Mawer Emerging Markets Equity Fund will be managed by Peter Lampert, CFA,…

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Pearl Capital Partners reaches first close for Uganda fund

Pearl Capital Partners reaches first close for Uganda fund

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa) – The European Union (EU), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) are working together to catalyse investment in the agriculture value chain with the launch today of the Yield Uganda Investment Fund. An initial EUR12mn (UGX46bn) has been made available to provide much needed access to capital for small and medium agri-businesses in Uganda. This new impact Fund, being arranged by Deloitte…

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AfricInvest and Bpifrance launch French African Fund

AfricInvest and Bpifrance launch French African Fund

TUNIS (Capital Markets in Africa) – AfricInvest and Bpifrance are pleased to announce the launch of the French African Fund (FFA), the first cross-border investment fund dedicated to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both Africa and France. The fund will be managed by AfricInvest, a leading pan-African mid-cap-focused private equity firm with almost EUR1bn of funds under management and offices in six African countries as well as in France. A pool of…

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Former Africa heads at Carlyle and KKR to set up regional investment firm

Former Africa heads at Carlyle and KKR to set up regional investment firm

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – The former regional heads for Africa at private equity giants KKR and Carlyle are setting up an investment firm, Arkana Partners, to target local equity investments of up to $100 million. Kayode Akinola told Reuters on Wednesday that he was leaving KKR to join forces with Marlon Chigwende, who left his role as Africa chief at rival Carlyle in 2016, as private equity opportunities in Africa are often seen as…

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OPIC commits $200 million to two Africa-focused funds

OPIC commits $200 million to two Africa-focused funds

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa)  – The Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, today approved $700 million in new financing and insurance to support four projects. These private sector-led development projects will invest globally in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East in a variety of sectors including energy, financial services, transportation, technology, and telecommunications. “Today, OPIC approved $700 million in support of development projects…

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