December 18th, 2017
The  weekly roundup of Africa's Private Capital news

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Here's the last issue of Africa Capital Digest Preview edition for 2017. As everything winds down for the holiday season, we will be taking a break before returning with the first issue for 2018 on January 8th.

Many thanks for being a reader this year. I'd encourage you to join our growing cohort of paid subscribers for 2018.  Becoming a paid subscriber will give you immediate access to all the full stories in this week's edition as well as to those in all previous editions. The process is quick and simple and provides you with the flexibility of signing up for a year or on a month-by-month basis. You can choose from one of the following options below:
 
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If you would like to find out more about a group subscription for your colleagues and teams, please contact Allan Cunningham at acunningham@africacapitaldigest.com

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to you and your colleagues from all of us at Africa Capital Digest.

Regards,

-Allan

Allan Cunningham
Editor & Publisher
This week's issue supported by...             
SAVCA 2018
Deals and Deal News...
Private Equity
AFC and Harith launch power giant Aenergi
Africa Finance Corporation and Harith General Partners have merged assets to create a significant diversified electricity platform company on the continent.

AFC and Harith create power giant Aenergi Holdings with merger of electricity generation assets
Private Equity
Enko in Ecobank Côte d'Ivoire PIPE deal
Enko Capital has now completed its deal to invest in the West African country' second biggest bank via the Enko Africa Private Equity Fund.
Private Equity
IFC mulls equity investment in mobile lender
The IFC is considering making an equity investment in a mobile lending company that provides consumers in East Africa with unsecured personal microloans.
Funds & Fundraising...
Debt
EIB and EBRD to back Green Cornerstone Bond Fund
Launched earlier this year by the IFC and Amundi the Cornerstone Green Bond Fund has a couple of new development finance institution backers. 
Private Equity
I&P holds first close for second entrepreneur fund
Investisseurs et Partenaries announced the first close for its second African entrepreneur fund last week. 
Projects & Portfolio Companies...
Technology
Sekanjulo's AEEI to list AYO Technologies
African Equity Empowerment Investments is set to list AYO Technology on the JSE's main board in the coming week.
Education
Oiko Credit backs Enko Education's first debt raise
Enko Education, the private school network founded by Cyrille Nkontchou and Eric Pignot, has secured a loan from Oiko Credit.
This week's issue supported by...             
Bonds & Sukuk South Africa
Sectors, Trends & Perspectives...
Blockchain
Challenges and opportunities for Blockchain in Africa
Large unbanked populations and high levels of mobile penetration suggest vast potential for the adoption of blockchain-based solutions in Africa. The Brookings Institution looks at the opportunities and challenges for the technology in Africa.
Off-Grid Solar
Podcast: Where next for the off-grid solar industry?
While the off-grid solar industry excites much investor interest, this CDC podcast discusses the opportunities and challenges the industry faces.
Private Equity
More private equity deal flow, stronger investor interest
In a piece for How we made it in Africa, Old Mutual Alternative Investments' CEO Paul Boynton explains what will drive greater private deal flow and stronger investor interest in Africa in 2018.
Private Equity
The best tech-enabled sectors for investment in 2018
In an AFK Insider column, Kurt Davis gives his opinion on the tech-enabled sectors in Africa that offer investors the most opportunity in 2018.
Companies, People & Profiles...
Companies
LeapFrog launches talent accelerator program
LeapFrog Investments has launched the LeapFrog Talent Accelerator, a talent development programme for CEOs, C-suite executives and middle managers.
People
Northern Trust taps Chan to spearhead EMEA sales
Northern Trust has hired Edwin Chan to head up asset servicing sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Current Job Postings...
This week's featured jobs...             
Director, Africa at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation  // gatesfoundation.com
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa
Head, Debt & Equity, East Africa at Mobisol  // mobisol.de
Based in Nairobi, Kenya
Senior Risk Manager & VP, PE at Quantum Global  // quantumglobalgroup.com
Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates or Ebene, Mauritius
Investment Director, Food, Agri, Consumer at CDC  // cdcgroup.com
Based in London, United Kingdom
Investment Director, DFID Impact Acceleration Fund at CDC  // cdcgroup.com
Based in London, United Kingdom
Associate, Energy Access Advisory at CrossBoundary  // crossboundary.com
Based in Nairobi, Kenya
Associate, Energy Access Investments at CrossBoundary  // crossboundary.com
Based in Nairobi, Kenya
Investment Analyst at IFC  // ifc.org
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa
Investment Analyst, SSA at Symbiotics Group  // symbioticsgroup.com
Based in Cape Town, South Africa
Legal Counsel at One Acre Fund  // oneacrefund.org
Based in Nairobi, Kenya
Associate Fellow at I-DEV International  // idevinternational.com
Based in Nairobi, Kenya
Upcoming Conferences...
Highlighted Event...             
Regional Energy Cooperation Summit 
Abidjan, January 24th to January 25th, 2018 
Investing in African Mining Indaba 
Cape Town, February 5th to February 8th, 2018 
SAVCA 2018 Annual Conference 
Stellenbosch, February 21st to February 22nd, 2018 
Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Africa 
Cape Town, March 13th to March 14th, 2018
2nd Annual Pension Funds and Alternative Investments Africa 
Balaclava, Mauritius, March 15th to March 16th, 2018
New this week...
4th Africa Mini Grids Summit 
Nairobi, March 21st to March 22nd, 2018
AFSIC 2018 
London, May 2nd to May 4th, 2018
And finally...
We hope you found the digest to be a useful summary of the major happenings in Africa's private capital markets last week.  We'd love it if you shared it with colleagues and business partners.  They can sign up for a free trial, for the moment,  here.  

Best wishes for a productive week - if you have any tips, suggestions, questions or comments, please get in touch.

All the best,
 
- Allan
 
Allan Cunningham
Editor & Publisher
AfCD | Africa Capital Digest

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