Summit Day
This closed-door LP/GP masterclass will explore the growing role of private credit within African private markets, examining where the most compelling opportunities are emerging and how investors are assessing risk, resilience and returns in the current environment.
The session will combine market perspectives with practical case study insights on how private credit solutions are supporting business growth and capital access.
Designed as an interactive discussion, the session will offer LPs and GPs the opportunity to engage candidly on portfolio construction, downside protection, structuring considerations and the evolving role of private credit across the continent.
Run strictly under the Chatham House Rule. Encouraging participants to speak openly on the topics that really matter.
Open to LPs and GPs only
For registrations, please contact Munazzah Siddique at munazzah.siddique@informa.com
As fundraising conditions remain challenging globally, what is driving the renewed momentum, improved sentiment and first-close activity emerging across parts of African private markets today? As LPs become increasingly selective and concentrated around a smaller group of managers, what will differentiate the fund strategies, structures and positioning most likely to attract capital going forward? How are governments, regulators and domestic institutions beginning to influence the evolution of fundraising ecosystems, capital formation and private market participation across the continent? What underlying ecosystem shifts could become increasingly important in shaping the next phase of African private markets?
With global capital becoming more selective and development finance pulling back, how are local institutional investors beginning to reshape the African private markets landscape? What still needs to evolve to unlock domestic pools of capital at greater scale across the continent? How are local currency funds, onshore domiciliation and regional investment strategies beginning to change the way capital is mobilised and deployed across African markets?
What is driving the accelerating demand for infrastructure on the continent today? Where are cross-sector infrastructure strategies creating the strongest investment opportunities? How are investors balancing the long-duration nature of infrastructure investing with growing demands for scalability, liquidity, operational execution and attractive long-term returns?
How are LPs thinking differently about risk, return profiles and portfolio construction as infrastructure increasingly moves from niche allocation to core strategic asset class? How are domestic pension funds, sovereign allocators and other institutional investors beginning to redefine the future ownership and financing landscape for African infrastructure? In what ways are African infrastructure players demonstrating that commercial returns, scalability and long-term impact are not mutually exclusive?
How is infrastructure debt beginning to evolve as an asset class across African private markets, and where are investors seeing the most compelling opportunities today? What financing structures and capital models are emerging to address the growing gap between infrastructure demand and available public funding? How are private capital players assessing risk, duration and return expectations across different types of infrastructure financing opportunities in Africa? What will determine the scalability and institutional attractiveness of infrastructure debt strategies across African markets over the coming years?
As private credit continues to mature across African markets, what aspects of the asset class are evolving organically, and where is the industry still borrowing heavily from Western models? What level of governance and oversight is needed to support institutional growth without importing the constraints of developed market systems? In what ways does the African private credit industry have the opportunity to build a model and benchmark framework shaped by local market realities, while still incorporating global best practices where relevant?
As developed market private credit faces increasing scrutiny, how can African markets offer a differentiated source of returns? As perceptions of African risk continue to evolve, is the debt market finally being repriced on underlying fundamentals rather than historical assumptions, and what does that mean for valuations and capital flows? With debt strategies continuing to expand, from senior secured lending and asset finance to mezzanine and self-liquidating structures, how should investors think about moving along the risk curve without losing discipline? How can African private credit markets reduce the lag between global capital trends and local deployment opportunities, ensuring capital arrives when it is most needed rather than after the cycle has moved on?
Has the historical challenge in SME financing really been a lack of demand, or simply an inability to profitably execute and scale smaller-ticket transactions? As founders increasingly seek growth capital without sacrificing ownership, how are financing structures beginning to shift the balance between flexibility, repayment pressure and long-term business growth? Where do venture debt and revenue-based financing outperform traditional debt and equity models across different countries on the continent? Where are investors already seeing successful and scalable SME financing models emerge, and what lessons can be replicated more broadly?
How is the LP landscape across African private markets evolving, and where are investors focusing their attention today? How are sovereign wealth funds approaching participation in African private markets, and where could their influence become increasingly significant over the coming years? What role are fund of funds structures playing in broadening access to private markets and building confidence among newer institutional investors across Africa? How are foundations and catalytic capital providers beginning to influence the way private capital is mobilised, structured and scaled across African markets?
Bitcoin mining is increasingly being viewed not simply as a digital asset story, but as a potential infrastructure and power-demand solution for underutilised energy assets.
In African markets where generation, transmission and demand profiles remain uneven, modular mining infrastructure may offer new ways to monetise stranded or excess power, improve project bankability and support early-stage energy economics.
This workshop will explore how private capital investors are evaluating the intersection of energy infrastructure, private credit and mining-linked demand models, including:
- Why power economics matter more than Bitcoin narratives
- How mining assets, hosting contracts and energy agreements can be diligenced
- Where private credit and equipment finance can fit into infrastructure-style transactions
- Why operational counterparty risk remains one of the key determinants of success or failure
- What African energy projects can learn from the global mining infrastructure cycle
Designed for infrastructure investors, private credit managers, energy developers and institutional allocators, the session will examine where these models may realistically fit within Africa’s evolving infrastructure and power landscape.
This practical, case study session will explore how private credit strategies are being deployed across African markets, through a candid look at real transactions, portfolio experiences and investment outcomes.
Through two in-depth case studies, presenters will share:
- How deals were sourced, structured and executed
- What worked well, and what did not
- Key lessons around underwriting, risk management and borrower engagement
- How outcomes compared to original expectations
- What these experiences reveal about the evolution of private credit across Africa
10 mins presentations followed by 10 mins audience Q&A
How is the emergence of credit secondaries beginning to reshape liquidity, portfolio management and capital recycling across African private credit markets? What types of credit secondary transactions are beginning to gain traction across African markets? What is driving growing global investor interest in the space?
As LPs place increasing emphasis on DPI, liquidity and realised returns, how are fund managers adapting their fundraising strategies and positioning in response? How are changing expectations around sector focus, scale and differentiation reshaping the types of fund strategies gaining traction across African private markets? What does building a commercially driven, institutional-quality fund platform with a proven ability to deliver exits look like in Africa today?
As fundraising conditions tighten and DFIs step back from supporting first-time funds, emerging managers across Africa are being forced to rethink how they raise, structure and scale. From consolidation and strategic partnerships to innovative fund structures and evolving LP expectations, the traditional fundraising playbook is shifting fast.
This candid workshop will explore what investors are really looking for, the most common fundraising mistakes emerging managers continue to make, and why more managers are beginning to combine forces rather than go it alone.
The workshop will also examine whether current support ecosystems are truly preparing managers to raise institutional capital successfully, and how emerging managers can better position themselves in a market increasingly favouring scale, credibility and strategic alignment.
If capital for infrastructure increasingly exists, what are the real constraints slowing project delivery and infrastructure rollout across African markets today? How are infrastructure investors and operators rethinking execution, operational value creation and platform-building in order to drive stronger long-term returns? What will determine whether newer infrastructure models, from decentralised systems to public-private partnerships, can scale more effectively across African markets?
As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, how are strategic partnerships and geopolitical alliances beginning to reshape capital flows, supply chains and infrastructure development across African markets? How are mining infrastructure and critical minerals projects evolving from traditional resource plays into broader private capital and infrastructure investment opportunities across Africa? How are investors evaluating the role of power infrastructure, PPAs and flexible energy demand models in improving the economics and bankability of mining-linked projects?
As the lines between private equity and private credit continue to blur, how are managers rethinking traditional fund mandates, return structures and capital deployment strategies across the continent? How are investors using hybrid debt-equity structures to navigate valuation challenges, founder dilution concerns and liquidity pressures across African markets? How are hybrid structures changing the power dynamics between founders, GPs and LPs across deals?
If trade finance has historically sat with banks, what is private credit doing differently that is making borrowers increasingly willing to pay a premium? As companies increasingly combine traditional bank lending with private credit solutions, what does a strong blended trade finance structure look like? Which sectors, trade corridors and transaction types are creating the most attractive trade finance opportunities today?
A select number of GPs will present their fund to a group of LPs, individually, in a closed-door setting. Each GP will have 10 minutes to make their case, including time for audience Q&A.
Run strictly under the Chatham House Rule.
These exclusive presentations are only open to pre-registered banks, corporate investors, development finance institutions, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, investment consultants, pension funds, RIAs, single family offices, sovereign wealth funds and wealth managers subject to qualification.
For GPs: to apply for pitching, please contact Marcia Brissett at marcia.brissett@informa.com
For qualifying LPs: to join, please contact Maya Marek at maya.marek@informa.com
How are investment consultants, regulators and pension fund mandates shaping the pace and direction of capital allocation into African private markets today? As African pension funds evaluate private markets and alternative assets, how are they balancing financial returns with broader priorities such as impact, job creation and domestic economic development? How can the industry better address the growing tension between offshore fund structures designed for international LPs and the desire for pension funds to mobilise more local institutional capital?
Which transport and logistics infrastructure gaps are emerging as the most commercially compelling opportunities across African private markets today? How are shifting trade flows, regional corridors and urbanisation trends beginning to reshape investment priorities across transport and core infrastructure? What will determine the long-term scalability and bankability of transport and logistics infrastructure projects across African markets?
This practical, case study session will explore how VCs are navigating today’s evolving market environment, with a focus on valuations, exits, liquidity and long-term value creation.
Through two real-world case studies, speakers will share:
- How investment and valuation strategies have evolved in the current climate
- On-the-ground lessons from scaling businesses across African and other emerging markets
- Approaches to exits, liquidity and return of capital in VC markets
- How firms are adapting their venture models in response to changing LP expectations and market realities
9 mins presentations followed by 7 mins Q&A
How are independent sponsor models beginning to reshape the relationship between GPs, LPs and capital formation across private markets? Why are these models beginning to resonate more strongly in parts of the African private capital landscape today? How are economics, alignment and decision-making dynamics evolving within more targeted, deal-led investment structures? As more investors seek visibility, flexibility and selectivity, what could this mean for the future of Africa’s GP ecosystem?
How are African corporates beginning to rethink the role innovation, venture engagement and startup partnerships can play in long-term growth strategies? What will differentiate the corporates that successfully build long-term partnerships from those that continue to engage with startups opportunistically? What role could corporates play in unlocking more scalable pathways for growth capital, strategic investment and ecosystem development across African private markets?
Which digital infrastructure models, platforms and investment strategies are gaining the strongest traction across African markets today, and why? How are investors balancing the growing demand for data centres and infrastructure with increasing pressures around power availability, energy usage and infrastructure resilience across African markets? Where could Africa develop differentiated advantages within the global digital infrastructure and AI ecosystem, and how can investors support that opportunity?
This practical, case study-led session will explore how investors and operators are approaching social infrastructure opportunities across African markets, with a focus on projects combining long-term demand, operational resilience and scalable impact.
Through two real-world case studies, presenters will share how projects were identified, structured, financed and scaled, alongside the key lessons learned through execution and delivery.
Case studies will include:
- Education and private schooling investment
- Water infrastructure, distribution and efficiency solutions
15-minute presentations followed by 10-minute audience Q&A
After years of dominance in payments and lending, where is the next major wave of fintech opportunity emerging across Africa? As banks, insurers and incumbents increasingly look to partner with or acquire fintech businesses rather than compete with them, what does that mean for exits, consolidation and long-term value creation across the ecosystem? When African fintech companies outgrow the original scope of DFI mandates, does that represent mission drift, or proof that the model has successfully scaled? Highlighting the fintech success stories, exits and scale-up journeys shaping the next phase of Africa’s digital financial ecosystem.
This LP/GP masterclass will explore the evolving climate investment opportunity across African private markets, examining where capital is being deployed, which sectors and strategies are gaining traction, and how investors are balancing returns, resilience and long-term impact.
Designed as an interactive discussion, the session will bring together LPs and GPs to share perspectives on climate-linked investment themes, fundraising dynamics and the next phase of climate capital deployment across the continent.
Limited spaces.
Open to LPs and GPs only
For registrations, please contact Munazzah Siddique at munazzah.siddique@informa.com
What are the broader global implications of the absence of USAID, and how will this reshape the future of development finance and private capital flows into Africa? As development finance institutions face tighter budgets, greater political scrutiny and shifting geopolitical priorities, how are their investment strategies and allocation approaches evolving across African private markets? As DFIs increasingly balance developmental objectives with national and strategic interests, how could this reshape the flow of capital across sectors, geographies and asset classes in Africa? What will it take for African private markets to broaden their LP base and reduce long-term dependence on DFI capital without weakening the ecosystem’s ability to attract institutional investment?
How are family offices beginning to reshape the LP landscape across African private markets, and how do their investment priorities differ from DFIs and traditional institutional capital? As family offices become increasingly professionalised, what could drive greater allocation toward African private markets over the coming years? What will it take for the African private capital industry to engage family offices more strategically, consistently and at greater scale globally?
How are geopolitical volatility, fuel security concerns and rising power demand reshaping the way private capital approaches energy and climate infrastructure investment across African markets? What technologies and circular economy models are proving most effective in delivering reliable, scalable and commercially viable energy solutions across the continent? How are investors balancing Africa’s long-term energy transition ambitions with the near-term realities of energy access, industrial growth and dependence on legacy fuel systems? As energy increasingly becomes the foundational constraint, and enabler, of growth, where are investors finding the most interesting opportunities across power generation, storage, distributed systems and energy-linked infrastructure?
What makes African real estate investing fundamentally different from other emerging markets, and how are investors adapting their strategies in response? Where are the most resilient real estate opportunities on the continent? How are changing urban dynamics, infrastructure needs and institutional demand beginning to reshape real estate investment strategies across African markets?
As AI increasingly reforms underwriting, due diligence, portfolio management and operational workflows, how are LPs, GPs and portfolio companies best using the technology to create measurable efficiency and value creation advantages today? With data becoming increasingly central to investment processes, how are firms strengthening data availability, integration and sovereign ownership without becoming overly dependent on external technology ecosystems? As advanced technology evolves at breakneck speed, how are businesses ensuring their models remain defensible, secure and commercially relevant over the long term?
For investors interested in digital assets but unsure where to begin, what are the three most important things they should understand before entering the space? As stablecoins increasingly move from speculative assets toward financial infrastructure, where are they solving real problems across African markets? How can tokenisation and digital assets allow African markets to leapfrog traditional financial systems?