Iroko Securities which arranged the first corporate issuance of a USD denominated bond in sub-Saharan Africa "...provides capital to a broad range of sovereign, quasi-sovereign local corporate and financial institutions based in Africa. It offers investment services to international investors seeking to gain exposure on African credits..."-company...
The Innovation Hub covered earlier co-launches a pre-incubation initiative "for young online entrepreneurs."-Startup Africa,HatTip Sean Park!
Buy into Africa says the Investors Chronicle
Juhel, a growing Pharmaceutical manufacturer founded by Ifeanyi Okoye
Green Wifi covered earlier in...
Ghana Chronicle profiles the growth of Atwima Rural Bank
Gambia's first investment bank BSIC Gambia is launched-GambiaNow
Simphani brings to our attention a video on village phones in Uganda.
Naija Blog proffers a simple power solution for Nigeria.
Makezine profiles "a proven, commercialized technology" for generating power from manure.
West Africa Sustainable Economic Initiative shares are...
Omatek covered earlier, raises N6bln ($51mln) in their recently concluded IPO.
A $100 Million Legacy Africa Alpha Hedge Fund Launched By INTL Consilium and First City Monument Bank.- HedgCo
Oson Chemist describes itself as "...a leader in pharmaceutical distribution and supply chain management..."
Emmanuel Banza a mechanic, describes his mill for crushing cassava leaves,a necessary food...
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Health,
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Nigeria,hot bed for mobile banking?
SAGE 2008 world cup won by Nigerian team.
Umbele, A variation of the Kiva model?
Acits exits Nigerian telecoms...
Image via WikipediaThe FT reports:
“African markets are not immune to the doldrums in global stock markets but have not performed as badly as emerging markets such as India and China,” says John Mackie, head of Africa funds at Stanlib Asset Management...In the same period, inflows into Africa regional equity funds have totalled $247m, while China equity funds have seen outflows of nearly $4bn,...
Emmanuel Mbulu founder of Tone-a-Matic a muscle stimulator manufacturer, discusses entrepreneurship.
New Scientist profiles rugged wheelchair prototypes for the developing world.
Reuters reports that currency traders and investors are increasingly drawn to African currencies. via Cheetah Index
"Ndume Little Pick-up" a solution to waste...
From the PSD Blog:
Business Partners specializes in providing small businesses with risk capital,and at reaching large numbers of small companies. Over the past few years BPI has provided thousands of SMEs with equity, quasi-equity and - crucially - hands-on advice.
One of the key products which BPI offers is the so-called "royalty loans" whereby the entrepreneur is provided with a low interest...
NaijaCar reports on the Innoson automotive initiative.
Nubia Estates offers private residence owners' Club.
Food crisis a boom for small farmers?
More on the opportunity in Africa's frontier markets.
Using oil palm crops to heal Lake Victoria
Burundian Ashura Kisesa, wins a young entrepreneur...
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transportation,
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Hedge Funds Review reports on the launch of a new index:
The Africa Titans 50 Index is weighted by float-adjusted market capitalisation. Each country’s weight is capped at 25% and weights of individual components are capped at 8% with a maximum of 15 companies for a country to be included in the index, companies must have a minimum market capitalisation of $200 million and a minimum three-month...
From the The Africa Growth Institute website:
It is now very clear that the development of Africa depends on the growth of the SMME sector. This sector provides more than 95% of Africa’s workforce...The 2008 Africa SMME Awards aims to recognise the success and vitality of the Africa SMME sector. This unique annual awards program has been established specifically to acknowledge, encourage and...
Image via WikipediaMavuno Capital's Michael Swanich stated that:
Our philosophy is that Africans themselves should develop agriculture in Africa. More than 60% of all economically active people in Africa are employed in the agricultural sector and Africa will never be a successful continent unless people are empowered in agriculture.
The company's strategy is:
based on the BOT (Build, Operate...
China equity fund to invest $300 mln in Africa.
Transcorp expands its hospitality footprint.
Food prices to spur agriculture investment.
Electric cycle rickshaws as a sustainable transport system via Inhabitat
Crustamer-Specialist processor of...
AltAssets reports on IFC's IfraVentures investment in Djibouti's geothermal energy capacity:
Rashad Kaldany, director for infrastructure, IFC, said, 'This first transaction for IFC InfraVentures is important to moving this innovative approach forward. A successful feasibility study for REI Djibouti, one of the first large-scale geothermal projects in the region, would have a significant impact...
Ft gives an overview on the"rapid growth of private equity" in Africa. via Africaincorp
Ladybrille covers Nollywood and more in their latest issue.
Nubian Cheetah takes a look at ExZeed a BPO provider
African Architecture & Design highlights the bamboo construction...
The newly launched Emergent African Land fund will focus on South Africa Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Swaziland and the DRC.
Hilrose Consulting an executive search firm founded by Ngozi Emafo seeks diaspora candidates looking for positions in Africa.
Motopower launches sun powered cellphone kiosks for Ugandan women.
Kenya Biodiesel association promotes Jatropha as an alternate...
Kathryn Tully at Yahoo News reports on Root Capital & the importance of SME's
Microfinance may have captured the imagination of social investors but even microfinance fund managers accept that it can play only one part in social and economic development. Providing banking services to those SMEs in the "missing middle" is crucial because, while a microloan can support one street vendor or one...
"...IWB is a grass roots initiative designed to fill a key gap in the financial markets of developing countries known as the missing middle. The missing middle are the small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are too large for microfinance, but too small to meet the requirements of many traditional financial institutions.Globally, the SME sector is a significant driver of employment growth....
Bloomberg reports:
African markets are ``extremely untapped and have huge potential to grow,'' said Nicolas Clavel, London-based chief investment officer at Scipion Capital, a hedge fund manager with $100 million in emerging-market assets that bought shares in Safaricom's IPO. ``Investors are realizing they need to move into these markets before they miss the most rapid growth phase.''...
Reuters reports:
Emergent Asset Management is planning to launch a fund(Emvest) soon to buy farmland in sub-Saharan Africa for investors looking for exposure to agriculture...The fund's aim is initially to invest in 12 countries including South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya and grow a variety of crops including wheat and maize.
photo...
From the AECF website:
The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) is a US$50-100m private sector fund, backed by some of the biggest names in development finance and hosted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Our aim is to encourage private sector companies to compete for like-for-like investment support for their new and innovative business ideas.
How does it work?The AECF...
Image via WikipediaNewsweek reports:
Safaricom, Kenya's largest mobile phone provider and the most profitable company in East Africa, began trading Monday morning on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The public offering of a 25 percent government stake in Safaricom has raised more than $800 million, in what's projected to be the largest IPO ever completed in sub-Saharan Africa, exceeding those of...
"...The purpose of the Sirleaf Market Women's Fund (SMWF) is to provide financial and other support for the empowerment of women market traders. SMWF works to achieve this goal through assisting in:
the improvement of existing markets and construction of new ones, based on a model that includes nursery schools, storage, health and sanitary facilities;the creation of credit facilities for use...
The Ft reports:
Two pioneers of fund management in Africa have gathered investors from the US and the Gulf to back the first private equity venture focusing on African countries emerging from conflict.
Development Partners International launches at a time when record amounts of private capital are flowing into Africa, with investors attracted by the strongest growth in decades and potential for...
"...Securities Africa provides corporate advisory, securities trading, investment research and data services...the company offers an institutional Pan-African trading platform capable of executing across each of the continent's 27 listed securities...
Standard & Poor's has launched 3 African Indices they are the:
S&P Pan Africa, S&P Africa Frontier and S&P Africa 40. The new indices are designed to provide investors with access to Africa’s developing equity markets, as well as being a complete measurement tool for the performance of these markets.
The S&P Pan Africa Index covers 12 African markets – Botswana, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana,...
A hub for "information and trade execution in the Nigerian capital market"Nigerian Securities provides services which include:
-Portfolio Management & Securities Evaluation Tools
-Analyst...
PR log reports on the burgeoning of real estate funds across the continent:
London based property giant Knight Frank has just launched its East Africa property fund having recently reported an increase in real estate value and growth in the region. The firm’s private equity real estate arm will launch an East Africa-dedicated fund, its fifth fund in the last two and a half years.
The British...
The FT reports on Nubuke Investments founded by Tutu Agyare founder of the Nubuke Foundation:
The multi-strategy fund will trade currencies, government bonds and commodities, as well as equities and special situations investments such as private equity, bank loans and distressed debt...Mr Agyare said Africa was in the midst of a long-term economic revival and pointed out it had 15 per cent of...
"...The Africa Enterprise Fund founded by Mo Ibrahim will seek out promising companies in financial services, consumer goods, energy and agricultural processing. The aim is to focus on established businesses that need cash and experienced management to grow, and the average investment is expected to be around...