Summit DayTuesday, 2 December 2025

Why are there more credit conversations on the continent today? What steps can be taken to grow the pool of credit GPs on the continent? How are private credit funds and investors navigating the risks of defaults and macroeconomic volatility in Africa’s unique markets? How has the asset class evolved and what innovations are on the horizon?

What distinguishes private credit strategies across different regulatory environments in Africa, particularly in terms of collateral requirements, structuring, and lender expectations? How have fund managers responded when debt deals underperformed or failed- what structural weaknesses, warning signs, or market dynamics contributed to these outcomes? In cases where fund managers hold both equity and debt positions, how does this dual exposure influence credit structuring, monitoring, and return expectations compared to standalone lending? What are the most common misconceptions about deploying private credit in African markets, and how are fund managers redefining best practices through lived experience?

How is private credit evolving to meet the diverse capital needs of Africa’s SME ecosystem- from micro-scale agribusinesses to high-growth fintechs? What role does local currency lending play in enabling SME resilience and stability, especially in volatile markets and climate-affected sectors? As venture debt platforms emerge, where are the strategic opportunities to support early- and growth-stage businesses without over-reliance on equity? What structural or market gaps still exist in SME financing, and how can credit providers better align with the lifecycle of African enterprises to unlock scalable, long-term impact?

As African businesses seek capital to scale, innovate, and trade across borders, private credit has emerged as a vital financing solution. This session explores real-world case studies that demonstrate how structured credit is closing funding gaps and driving impact. Each case reveals practical strategies, risk mitigants, and the catalytic role of private lenders.

6 mins presentations followed by 6 mins Q&A

Africa’s tourism economy is no longer a leisure story, it is the continent’s most undervalued infrastructure investment play, delivering real assets, predictable cashflows, and deep economic spill overs that private credit has barely begun to unlock. Millat believes in a continent-wide platform that converts hotels, heritage icons, aviation links, and travel corridors into institutional-grade, credit-ready opportunities, backed by global brand partnerships and repeatable, high-margin operating models. As banks retreat and DFIs focus on mega-projects, a vast “missing middle” of brownfield upgrades, corridor expansion, energy retrofits, and cross-border hospitality growth is emerging, precisely the space where private credit can generate superior yield, measurable impact, and scalable pipelines. The story is simple and compelling: tourism is Africa’s next high-return infrastructure frontier.

What is the main role of the DFI in the private credit space and what are the methods to fulfil it? Where have DFI efforts in credit succeeded or fallen short? What lessons must shape the next phase of engagement?

How does impact manifest differently in debt strategies compared to equity? How can it be measured? What are the new opportunities in the climate finance space today? How can private credit lenders build long-term trust-based relationships with borrowers to ensure both financial discipline and meaningful impact delivery?