Blog Timeline

Nairobi-based Ed Partners Africa, an affordable private schools financing company, has raised US $1.9m (Ksh205 million) to expand its presence and enable the unserved affordable private schools market access to credit.

The funds were raised from from Acumen, I&P (through its fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2) and Zephyr with participation from existing investors.

Download the Press Release

Ed Partners: financing and supporting affordable private schools in Kenya

Ed Partners is targeting affordable private schools that provide education to the low-income population and charge school fees of between $150 (Ksh16,000) and $500 (Ksh54,000) per year. Additionally, these schools are looking for loans of between $2,000 (Ksh200,000) and $70,000 (Ksh7 million) payable up to six years.

Ed Partners, which was founded in 2018 by Lydia Koros and David FitzHerbert, has to date offered $ 1.5 million (Ksh162 million) in loans to 142 affordable private schools, which educate 41,000 students.

Ed Partners’ CEO Amos Mwangi said that the company is focusing on Kenya’s affordable private school sector which is typically starved of credit by mainstream lenders.

“Affordable privates schools have found it extremely difficult to access formal credit due to arduous application processes and limited collateral. Mainstream financial institutions lack operational insight to lend to this school segment, further exacerbating an already credit-starved sector”

Amos Mwangi, Ed Partners' CEO

Ed Partners aims to bridge this gap through school-focused lending and through hub-and-spoke based model where the company’s  relationship managers work closely with the school leadership through the entire credit process.

Ed Partners loans are designed for specific end-uses such as expansion of classrooms, purchase of school buses, building sanitation facilities etc. and are designed keeping the school cashflows and repayment abilities in mind.

I&P invests in Ed Partners, alongside with Acumen and Zephyr

Ed Partners is one of the latest investments of the fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2, managed by I&P. Ed Partners also becomes the first company to receive funding from Acumen’s recently launched Education Facility.

The funds raised will help catalyse lending to this sector at this critical time when the education sector is recovering from COVID-19. Ed Partners stands on the cusp of exponential growth and I&P, Acumen and Zephyr believe that this current round will enable the company to extend financing to the affordable private school segment – which is urgently needed as Kenya emerges from the pandemic.

"Affordable private schools are an important piece in delivering education to African children, however they have historically been underbanked. In Kenya, and across Africa, 80%+ of private schools have never accessed a bank loan", explains Abdulkarim Mohamed, Portfolio Manager, Acumen.

“I&P’s investment in Ed Partners marks our growing presence in East Africa, a few months after the launch of our Nairobi-based office. We are proud to support this new investment in the education sector, which makes up one of I&P’s focus areas. Built on a strong social mission, we believe that Ed Partners has the potential to have an important impact on the education sector in Kenya and in the long term in East Africa” 

Jeremy Hajdenberg, Deputy Managing Director, Investisseurs & Partenaires

Useful Links

Read more about Ed Partners

Read more abour I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2

Download the Press Release

Little desired by investors, the Sahel region is nevertheless a breeding ground for entrepreneurs and innovative projects, stimulating local growth and promoting job creation. Difficult access to funding and skills are the major issues preventing the development of these companies and projects.

In such a context, I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, initiated by the impact investment group Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) and financed by the European Union, is aimed at start-ups and small businesses in the Sahel region with one main objective: to give them access to the funding and skills necessary to enable their development and promote the creation of sustainable and decent jobs.

I&P Acceleration in Sahel offers seed funding (between €3,000 and €60,000 per company), a flexible financial instrument adapted to these young companies and complemented by strategic support (strategic and commercial development, structuring, training).

This short video summarizes in a few words the principle of priming as well as the essential points of this ambitious program.

Peu convoitée par les investisseurs, la région Sahélienne est pourtant un vivier d’entrepreneurs et porteurs de projets innovants, stimulant la croissance locale et favorisant la création d’emplois. Le difficile accès aux financements et aux compétences sont les freins majeurs au développement de ces entreprises et projets.

Dans un tel contexte, le programme I&P Accélération au Sahel, initié par le groupe d’investissement à impact Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P) et financé par l’Union Européenne, s’adresse aux start-ups et petites entreprises de la région sahélienne avec un objectif principal : leur donner accès aux financements et aux compétences nécessaires pour permettre leur développement et favoriser la création d’emplois pérennes et décents.

I&P Accélération au Sahel propose du financement d’amorçage (entre 3 000 € et 60 000€ par entreprise), un instrument financier souple et adapté à ces jeunes entreprises complété par un appui stratégique (développement stratégique et commercial, structuration, formation).

Cette courte vidéo résume en quelques mots le principe de l’amorçage ainsi que les points essentiels de cet ambitieux programme.

I&P's newsletter for April/May 2021 is online!

In this newsletter : an editorial signed Stéphanie Cohn Rupp, reflecting on Impact Assets 50 and education issues in Sub-Saharan Africa; a focus on the 4th edition of the Social & Inclusive Business Camp and an interview of Ranto Andriambololona, Founder of HaiRun Technology and SmartPredict in Madagascar.

Read the Newsletter

Edito of Stéphanie Cohn Rupp

Stephanie Cohn Rupp is the CEO of Veris Wealth Partners, a B Corp certified impact wealth management firm. She has over 20 years of experience in international impact investing working with families and foundations. Stephanie has also been a member of the Impact Assets 50 Review Committee since 2017 and an advisory board member to Investisseurs et Partenaires’ investment fund for Education in Africa.

" 2021 marks my 5^th participation as a member of the Impact Assets 50 Review Committee. Over the years, it has been amazing to observe how the impact investing private fund market has grown and evolved to include most regions of the world and new sectoral themes.

The assets under management have significantly increased in the last decade - going from a tens of billions of managed assets to literally trillions of assets under management including public equity ESG investing to very granular and focused strategies in single private companies. While the COVID pandemic has hit small businesses very hard - all across the world - many impact investors have coalesced to invest in business loans at low interest rates or in providing innovative investment equity structures to not stifle nascent enterprises having to navigate the pandemic.

In light of the rapid rise of the impact investing industry as more of a mainstream approach to investing, it is becoming more and more critical to provide an objective evaluation of the sector and to help investors focus on real and meaningful impact. This is why, I believe, initiatives such as the Impact Assets 50 can make a difference. This public database of top 50 funds selected by a committee of industry experts provides an easy way to explore the private fund impact investing landscape and identify experienced impact fund managers across geographies, sectors and asset classes.

Thanks to its extensive experience, its singular focus on mostly Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa and its deep commitment to the underfinanced segment of Small and Medium Businesses, Investisseurs & Partenaires was considered a high scoring fund in the Impact Assets community. As I am affiliated with I&P, I have for a few years now had to recuse myself when the fund came up for discussion at the Impact Assets 50 Committee. However, I&P was praised along with the 49 impact fund managers selected for the IA 50 2021. I&P has demonstrated financial capacity and commitment to social impact. 

In my first stint in the world of economic development, I worked at the World Bank as an young analyst focused on education in the Horn of Africa. After having visited Djibouti for project to build elementary school, and meeting the teachers and students, I have always been convinced that education and vocational training were fundamental rights that every child and adult deserves to have. That is why, amongst many things, I chose to join in 2019 the advisory board member to the fund I&P Education to Employment.

Since then, I have myself become quite familiar with the work done by I&P, especially in the sector of education and vocational training. Issues of education access, quality, inclusiveness provide challenging but stimulating opportunities for impact investors to support new and innovative solution to Africa’s education needs. With an education heavily affected by the COVID-19 crisis, it is now more important than ever to address these issues and to support these initiatives.

As the US based investors become increasingly interested in financing African businesses, I hope to continue to see this trend, this time focused on businesses providing educational services. I hope that the Impact Assets 50 selection of I&P as one of the top 50 impact funds of 2021 is one of many more steps in that direction. 

DISCLAIMER

The information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only, represents only a summary of topics discussed, does not represent personalized investment advice or recommendations, and simply reflects the opinions of the author’s, which are subject to change without notice. Investing involves risk, including the loss of all amounts invested, and readers should be guided accordingly. Additionally, certain information contained herein is sourced from third parties. While we believe such information to be accurate, we make no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of such information and make no representations to that effect.

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A few words on Impact Assets

Investisseurs  & Partenaires has been selected for the third time for the ImpactAssets 50 2021, a free online database for impact investors, family offices, financial advisors and institutional investors that features a diversified listing of private capital fund managers delivering social and environmental impact as well as financial returns. 

 Impact Assets 50 (2021)

I&P selected for the Impact Assets 50

La newsletter d'avril/mai 2021 est en ligne !

Au sommaire : un édito signé Stéphanie Cohn Rupp, revenant notamment sur la séléction d'I&P au classement Impact Assets 50, un focus sur la 4e édition du social & Inclusive Business Camp et une interview de Ranto Andriambololona, Fondateur d'HaiRun Technology et SmartPredict à Madagascar.

Découvrir ici la newsletter

Edito de Stéphanie Cohn Rupp

Stéphanie Cohn Rupp est la Directrice Générale de Veris Wealth Partners, une société de gestion de patrimoine à impact certifiée B Corp. Elle a plus de 20 ans d'expérience dans le domaine de l'investissement à impact (impact investing), au service de plusieurs family offices et fondations. Stéphanie est par ailleurs membre du comité de sélection d'Impact Assets 50 depuis 2017 et membre du conseil stratégique du programme I&P Éducation et Emploi.

" L’année 2021 marque ma cinquième participation au Comité de Sélection d'Impact Assets 50. Au fil des ans, j'ai pu observer avec intérêt la croissance et l'évolution du secteur de l’investissement à impact, qui s’étend désormais à la plupart des régions du monde et secteurs d’activité.

Les actifs sous gestion ont considérablement augmenté au cours de la dernière décennie - passant de quelques dizaines de milliards à des milliers de milliards d'actifs sous gestion. Alors que la pandémie Covid-19 a durement touché les petites entreprises de par le monde, de nombreux investisseurs d'impact se sont mobilisés pour investir des prêts commerciaux à faible taux d'intérêt ou pour fournir des structures innovantes d'investissement en capital, et ce afin de ne pas étouffer des entreprises naissantes devant faire face à la pandémie.

Au vu de son essor rapide, il devient nécessaire de réaliser une évaluation objective du secteur de l’investissement à impact et ainsi donner aux investisseurs les moyens de se concentrer sur des impacts réels et significatifs. En ce sens, je suis convaincue que des initiatives comme Impact Assets 50 sont très utiles. Ce classement annuel fournit une base de données publique référençant 50 fonds d’impact expérimentés et engagés, opérant dans différents secteurs, zones géographiques et classes d’actifs.

De par sa grande expérience, son focus sur l’Afrique subsaharienne - notamment francophone - et son engagement auprès du segment sous-financé des petites et moyennes entreprises, Investisseurs & Partenaires a été reconnu comme un fonds à fort potentiel par la communauté Impact Assets. Compte-tenu de ma proximité avec I&P, cela fait désormais plusieurs années que je dois me tenir à l’écart lorsque sa candidature est examinée. Cependant, au même titre que les 49 autres fonds d’impact sélectionnés, I&P a été salué par le comité d’Impact Assets et a su démontrer sa capacité financière et son engagement en faveur de l'impact social.

Lors de ma première mission dans le monde du développement économique, j’ai travaillé au sein de la Banque Mondiale en tant que jeune analyste spécialisée sur les enjeux éducatifs dans la Corne de l’Afrique. J’ai notamment suivi le projet de construction d’une école élémentaire à Djibouti, et rencontré nombre de ses élèves et professeurs. J’ai toujours été convaincue que l'éducation et la formation professionnelle sont des droits fondamentaux auxquels chaque enfant et chaque adulte doit avoir accès. C’est l’une des raisons pour laquelle j’ai choisi de rejoindre en 2019 le Conseil Stratégique du programme I&P Education et Emploi.

Je me suis depuis familiarisée avec le travail effectué par I&P, notamment dans le secteur de l’éducation et de la formation professionnelle. L’accès à l’éducation, tout comme la qualité et le degré d’inclusion de cette éducation, sont autant de défis que peuvent relever les investisseurs d’impact, en soutenant des solutions nouvelles et innovantes, développées spécifiquement pour répondre aux besoins du continent Africain. Le secteur de l’éducation ayant été particulièrement touché par la crise de la Covid-19, il est aujourd’hui plus important que jamais d’appuyer ces initiatives. 

Les investisseurs basés aux États-Unis s'intéressant de plus en plus au financement des entreprises africaines, j'espère que cette tendance se poursuivra et s’étendra auprès des entreprises du secteur éducatif. J’espère que la sélection d’I&P au sein du dernier classement Impact Assets 50 constitue une étape allant dans cette direction.

CLAUSE DE NON-RESPONSABILITÉ

Les informations contenues dans le présent document sont fournies à titre d'information uniquement, ne représentent qu'un résumé des sujets abordés, ne constituent pas des conseils ou des recommandations d'investissement personnalisés et reflètent simplement les opinions de l'auteur, qui sont susceptibles de changer sans préavis. Investir comporte des risques, y compris la perte de tous les montants investis, et les lecteurs doivent être informés en conséquence. En outre, certaines informations contenues dans le présent document proviennent de tiers. Bien que nous pensions ces informations exactes, nous ne donnons aucune garantie quant à l'exactitude ou l'exhaustivité de ces informations et ne faisons aucune déclaration à cet effet.

Quelques mots sur Impact Assets

I&P est apparu en février 2021 pour la 3e fois dans le classement ImpactAssets 50 2021 (IA 50), une base de données en ligne et gratuite qui présente une liste diversifiée de fonds d’investissement à impact (impact investors), combinant impact social et environnemental et rendements financiers. Cette liste s’adresse notamment aux investisseurs d'impact, family offices, conseillers financiers et investisseurs institutionnels.

 Impact Assets 50 (2021)

I&P sélectionné dans le classement Impact Assets 50 pour la 2e année consécutive

The 4th edition of the Social & Inclusive Camp is coming to an end for the 2020 cohort, after a particularly eventful year due the Covid-19 pandemic. The 65 entrepreneurs of the cohort have taken up the challenge of digitalization, demonstrated their adaptability and seized the networking opportunities offered by the program.

The call for applications for the 2021 edition will open mid-May 2021. Visit our networks to keep up to date with the program!

Program's website

Linkedin page of the program

Networking, a key added value in the entrepreneurial journey of young African SMEs

The Social & Inclusive Business Camp, funded by the Agence Française du Développement (AFD), offers every year to 60 social entrepreneurs the tools and coaching to accelerate their projects on the continent.

This pan-African capacity building program enables each year a cohort of entrepreneurs to accelerate their projects on the continent, thanks to a hybrid curriculum including an e-learning phase, a face-to-face bootcamp, meetings with investors and coaching by a mentor.

A pan-African community of alumni

Launched by the Agence Française de Développement Campus in 2017, and managed since 2020 by a consortium led by I&P conseil, the SIBC has supported nearly 200 high-impact entrepreneurs in Africa in scaling up, measuring their social performance and preparing for fundraising. The SIBC is committed to bringing this community together, in particular through a mentoring program and collective sessions open to the entire SIBC community.

Inspiring meetings with entrepreneurs and experts throughout the learning process

Peer-to-peer exchange is at the heart of the program's support, and mobilizes a large number of experts on the continent each year. This year's edition features presentations by Didiey ACOUTEY, President of AfricSearch Group, Omar CISSE, CEO of InTouch, co-founder of Teranga Capital, Clement UWAJENEZA, serial entrepreneur and CTO of BeneFactors, as well as testimonies from numerous promoters of growing companies (Le Lionceau, Vatel Madagascar, African Management Institute...).

Creating funding opportunities at the EMERGING Valley Bootcamp

Within the program, SIBC companies have access to a panel of investors and partners in the broadest sense of the term (financiers, corporates, etc.), enabling them to make a first key contact that could lead to a partnership. During the 2020 edition, 40 investors and financial partners from 30 different structures were present to meet the SIBC cohort during a "speed meetings" event.

The implementing consortium

The Social & Inclusive Business Camp is funded by the Agence Française du Développement (AFD).

Today, AFD has placed its trust in Investisseurs & Partenaires, African Management Institute (AMI), ScaleChanger and StartupBRICS to implement the program. With a strong pedagogical team and an in-depth knowledge of African entrepreneurship, the consortium will endorse SIBC’s values to support closely African entrepreneurs in their acceleration.

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) funds, supports and accelerates the transitions to a fairer and more sustainable world.
Focusing on climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urban development, health and governance, our teams carry out more than 4,000 projects in France’s overseas departments and territories and another 115 countries. In this way, we contribute to the commitment of France and French people to support the sustainable development goals.

Today, AFD has placed its trust in Investisseurs & Partenaires, African Management Institute (AMI), ScaleChanger and StartupBRICS to implement the program. With a strong pedagogical team and an in-depth knowledge of African entrepreneurship, the consortium will endorse SIBC’s values to support closely African entrepreneurs in their acceleration.

Keiwa and Legafrik, two Ivorian start-ups operating in the tech sector, have recently joined the portfolio of I&P Acceleration Technologies, a program aiming to finance and support about fifteen digital start-ups in Sub-Saharan Africa.

These two companies will benefit from seed financing and strategic support, provided by I&P Acceleration Technologies and the team of Comoé Capital, I&P's partner in Côte d'Ivoire.

About Keiwa et Legrafrik

Keiwa and Legrafrik are two young Ivorian companies that both offer tech services specifically dedicated to small and medium-sized African companies:

Legafrik is the first digital platform designed to simplify legal, administrative, tax and accounting procedures in OHADA countries. The platform allows entrepreneurs and small businesses to save time and money through a dematerialized process.

Legafrik was co-founded by two young Ivorians, Youssouf Ballo and Daouda Diallo.

Read more about Legrafrik

Launched in 2019, Keiwa is an application for simplified accounting, financial management and inventory management led by three young Ivorians, Fabrice KOFFI, Bertrand DAGO and Terrence KONDOU. The application is dedicated to African SMEs, to multi-site structures, as well as to the partners offering services to these SMEs (e.g. suppliers, financial institutions, telecom operators).

Read more about Keiwa

About I&P Acceleration Technologies

Launched in 2019 with the support of the French Development Agency through its iniative Digital Africa, I&P Acceleration Technologies is a €2.5 million program that aims to finance and support some fifteen digital startups in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Western Africa, Central Africa and Madagascar.

With these two new financings, I&P Accélération Technologies has so far financed five companies, including Teliman, the very first on-demand motorcycle cab service in Bamako, Mali, SmartPredict, a SaaS platform using artificial intelligence for predictive analysis that helps companies deploy their projects, and Jiro-Ve, a pioneering rural electrification company in Madagascar.

I&P Acceleration Technologies is financed by AFD through the Digital Africa initiative.

The AFD group finances, supports, and accelerates transitions towards a more just and sustainable. Climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urbanization, health, governance… Its teams are involved in more than 4000 projects in 115 countries and French overseas territories.

Since 2016, the agency has been actively supporting digital innovation on the African continent, through initiatives such as the AFD Digital Challenge startup competition, the Afric’innov, AFIDBA, and the Social and Inclusive Business Camp (SIBC). The I&P Acceleration Technologies program is financed by the Digital Africa seed fund, which is a component of the Choose Africa offer by which AFD Group commits to devoting 2,5 billion euros to African startups, VSEs and SMEs by 2022.

Read more about I&P Acceleration Technologies

Officially launched in July 2020 with the support of the European Union, I&P Acceleration in Sahel program has funded in 6 months 28 growing small businesses in the Sahel sub-region.

To boost the development of start-ups in the Sahel sub-region, the European Union is a partner of I&P Acceleration in Sahel, a support program that offers technical and financial assistance to small businesses and start-ups based in Sahel that are too young to benefit from traditional financing (bank loan, capital investment, etc.). To learn more about the program

This innovative program is an initiative of I&P, an impact fund specialized in financing and supporting small and medium-sized African companies. I&P has a double purpose: contribute to dynamic and inclusive growth in Africa and maximize the societal impact of its partner companies. Since its creation in 2002, I&P has invested in more than 150 companies in 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. To find out more, click here.

Launched less than one year ago, I&P Acceleration in Sahel concludes 2020 with a positive result:  28 SMEs and start-ups (nearly 40% of which are run by women) based in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal and operating in various business sectors (agribusiness, cosmetics, education, vocational training, health, services, textiles…) have benefited from seed financing up to €60,000 and technical assistance to accelerate their chances of business success.

Click here to discover the profile of the beneficiary companies.

Among these companies, 13 have benefited from an exceptional financial support to adapt their business model and maintain their activities in response to the covid-19 pandemic and the economic impacts generated by the crisis.

New Crystal Health Services, principal groupe privé de soins de santé du Ghana dédié aux populations urbaines à bas revenus, a récemment obtenu les certifications ISO suivantes : ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 et ISO 45001:2018.

C'est une étape importante pour New Crystal, financée par le fonds I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 depuis janvier 2020.

En savoir plus sur New Crystal

Site internet de l'entreprise

Focus sur la certitfication ISO 9001

ISO 9001 définit les critères applicables à un système de management de la qualité. Cette norme repose sur un certain nombre de principes de management de la qualité, notamment une forte orientation client, la motivation et l’engagement de la direction, l’approche processus et l’amélioration continue.

La mise en œuvre du système de gestion de la qualité ISO 9001 a aidé l'entreprise à se concentrer sur les domaines importants de son activité et à améliorer son efficacité. Les processus de gestion que New Crystal a mis en place dans l'ensemble de ses activités ont fourni une base solide, qui devrait permettre d'accroître la productivité et la rentabilité. Cela permettra d'améliorer la satisfaction et la fidélisation des clients, les patients de New Crystal ayant ainsi la certitude que l'entreprise travaille selon des normes et des procédures qui leur garantissent un service de qualité.

New Crystal Health Services, Ghana’s leading private health care group dedicated to the urban poor, has recently attained ISO certifications in the following: ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and ISO 45001:2018.

This is an important step for New Crystal, financed by our fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 since January 2020.

Read more about New Crystal

See New Crystal's website

Focus on ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organizations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
ISO 9001 helped New Crystal to provide a practical and workable Quality Management System for improving and monitoring all areas of their business.

Implementing the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) has helped the company to focus on the important areas of its business and improve efficiency. The management processes that New Crystal has established throughout its business has provided a sound foundation, which should lead to increased productivity and profitability. This in turn will improve the customer satisfaction and retention. It has given New Crystal's customers confidence that they are working to standards and procedures that will provide them with a high standard of customer service.

The fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 welcomes in its portfolio the Ghanaian company XpressGas, a pioneering distributor of Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Also known as LPG, this fuel offers an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative, particularly for peri-urban and rural areas.

XpressGas is the tenth company funded by the IPAE 2 fund, which maintains an active pace of investment despite the Covid-19 context.

A leading and pioneering company in the energy sector in Ghana

XpressGas Limited is the fastest-growing and one of the largest LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) companies in Ghana. The company currently owns 3 LPG refill stations, 23 LPG Bulk Road Vehicles, and serves a network of 53 third-party owned stations across all the regions of Ghana.

The main focus of the business is on the peri-urban and rural areas of the country, and this is in line with the Government of Ghana’s stated objective to increase access to LPG by 50% in 2030. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is increasingly becoming the preferred choice of fuel in the world and Ghana is moving in the same direction. The increase in patronage could be attributed to its affordability, efficiency and environmental friendliness. The impact potential of switching consumers from harmful traditional fuels such as firewood to LPG is significant.

XpressGas was launched in 2009 by M. Kofi Nketsia-Tabiri, who brings over 18 years of investing, business development and entrepreneurship experience to the management of XpressGas.

"The LPG industry in Ghana is currently at a transition point in terms of regulation. We are excited to partner with a stand-out entrepreneur who has positioned Xpress Gas to reflect what this pivotal moment demands: innovation, greater accessibility and higher safety standards. This investment furthers the impact thesis of the IPAE 2 fund, and draws from I&P’s deep knowledge of supporting SMEs in Africa to thrive amidst evolving times."

Baafour Otu-Boateng, Investment Director, Ghana office

Click here to read more about XpressGas

In a context of a sharp slowdown in private sector investment on the continent, we continued to deploy the fund with successful and resilient companies such as Xpress Gas, and we are on track to significantly accelerate our pace of engagement with a heavy investment program in the coming months.

Sébastien Boyé, Chief Investment Officer

Read more about IPAE 2

Le fonds I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2 accueille dans son portefeuille l’entreprise ghanéenne XpressGas, pionnière dans la distribution de Gaz de Pétrole Liquéfié. Également connu sous le nom de GPL, ce combustible présente une alternative efficace et respectueuse de l’environnement, notamment pour les zones périurbaines et rurales du pays.

XpressGas est la dixième entreprise financée par le fonds IPAE 2, qui poursuit un rythme actif d'investissement malgré le contexte Covid-19.

Une entreprise incontournable dans le secteur de l’énergie au Ghana

XpressGas Ghana Limited est spécialisée dans la distribution de gaz de pétrole liquéfié (ou GPL). C’est l’une des entreprises les plus importantes du secteur, et celle connaissant la croissance la plus rapide au Ghana. Elle possède actuellement 3 stations de recharge GPL, une flotte de 23 véhicules routiers, et dessert un réseau de 53 stations appartenant à des tiers dans toutes les régions du Ghana.

L'entreprise se concentre principalement sur les zones périurbaines et rurales du pays, en conformité avec l'objectif déclaré du gouvernement ghanéen d'accroître de 50 % l'accès au GPL d'ici 2030. Sa popularité croissante s’explique par le fait que le GPL est un carburant abordable, efficace et respectueux de l'environnement. Pouvant être utilisé là où les réseaux de gaz naturel sont inaccessibles, il présente une bonne alternative pour les foyers situés en zone rurale et vient notamment remplacer des combustibles traditionnels nocifs tels que le bois de chauffage.

XpressGas a été créée en 2009 par M. Kofi Nketsia-Tabiri, qui apporte à l’entreprise plus de 18 ans d'expérience dans les domaines de l'investissement, du développement commercial et de l'entrepreneuriat.

"L'industrie du GPL au Ghana est actuellement à un point de transition en termes de réglementation. Nous sommes ravis de nous associer à un entrepreneur hors pair qui a su positionné Xpress Gaz sur les points clé attendus en cette période charnière : une forte capacité d’innovation, une plus grande accessibilité et des normes de sécurité plus élevées. Cet investissement renforce la thèse de l'impact du fonds IPAE 2 et s'appuie sur les connaissances approfondies d'I&P en matière d'aide aux PME en Afrique pour qu'elles puissent prospérer dans un contexte en pleine évolution".

Baafour Otu-Boateng, Directeur d'Investissement, Ghana

Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus sur XpressGas

Un 10e financement en capital pour le fonds IPAE 2

"La crise de la COVID 19 a durement touché les économies africaines, en particulier les PME. Dans un contexte de ralentissement brutal de l’investissement dans le secteur privé sur le continent nous avons pu continuer à déployer le fonds auprès de sociétés performantes et résilientes comme Xpress Gaz, et nous sommes sur la voie d’une accélération sensible de notre rythme d’engagement. "

Sébastien Boyé, Directeur Général Investissements.

En savoir plus sur IPAE 2

Dans la presse

Agence Ecofin, Ghana : Investisseurs & Partenaires réalise son deuxième engagement en 2 mois au sein d’XpressGas

How we made it in Africa, Ghana: Businessman spots gap to make gas more affordable for households