The 5 most popular stories on Africa Private Equity News the past week

Here are summaries of the five most widely read stories the past week on Africa Private Equity News.

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Standard Bank pioneers first ZARONIA-linked bond issuance

First issuance of a listed bond in South Africa using the newly established South African Rand Overnight Index Average (ZARONIA) floating interest rate benchmark. Read more

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Here are summaries of the five most widely read stories the past week on Africa Private Equity News.

1. AfricInvest backs East African financial group

East African financial services company I&M Group has completed a capital raise of KES 4.19 billion (about $32.4 million) from the sale of 86.5 million new ordinary shares to East Africa Growth Holdings (EAGH), a Mauritius-domiciled special purpose vehicle backed AfricInvest, FMO, and Norfund.

With this recent investment, EAGH increased its shareholding in I&M Group to 15.14%, making it the fourth largest shareholder. Read the full article

2. Africa50 invests in grain import terminals operator; A.P. Moller Capital exits

The Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (Africa50 IAF) has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire a significant stake in Mass Céréales al Maghreb (MCM), a key player in Morocco's grain handling and port logistics sector.

The contemplated investment in MCM was executed through a consortium partnership between the Africa50 IAF and STOA. The consortium jointly acquired the 49% shareholding previously held by A.P. Moller Capital. Holmarcom Group, MCM’s historical shareholder and a Moroccan conglomerate, retains its 51% majority stake. Read the full article

3. XSML Capital backs Zambian hotel

XSML Capital has provided senior secured debt to Latitude 15°, a boutique hotel in Lusaka, Zambia, to support the addition of new rooms, enhanced conference facilities, and the installation of a solar energy system.

Located in Lusaka’s upscale Kabulonga neighbourhood, Latitude 15° is a three-star boutique hotel that caters to a growing and diverse clientele, including international and local businesses, NGOs, and travelers. The hotel currently has 35 rooms, which will be expanded to 47 as part of the investment. Read the full article

4. Paradigm Tower Ventures to acquire Rwanda operations from IHS Towers

Paradigm Infrastructure has launched a new sub-Saharan African mobile telecoms tower platform, Paradigm Tower Ventures, which has agreed to acquire 100% of the equity in IHS Rwanda for an enterprise value of $274.5 million. IHS Rwanda operates 1,465 passive wireless infrastructure sites across the country. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary regulatory and government approvals.

Paradigm Infrastructure was founded by Stephen Harris, Hal Hess and Steven Marshall, former senior executives at global and African tower businesses including American Tower Corporation. The firm already owns a 30% stake in Minara Tanzania, which operates around 1,800 sites serving mobile network operators in Tanzania. Read the full article

5. E Squared Investments in South African medtech deal

E Squared Investments, along with ANZA Capital, have invested in Impulse Biomedical, a Cape Town-based medtech startup.

Founded by engineering entrepreneurs Giancarlo Beukes and Gokul Nair, Impulse Biomedical develops medical devices aimed at improving emergency care. Its products include the Easy Squeezy, a low-cost, user-friendly asthma inhaler designed to help patients manage their condition more easily, and the ZiBiPen, a reloadable epinephrine auto-injector intended as a more affordable and sustainable alternative to single-use versions. Read the full article

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