IFC in Kenya

A snapshot of the pipeline of approved, pending, and other projects at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) that relate to Kenya. The IFC is the private sector lending arm of the World Bank and lends to private sector projects and entities in diverse sectors such as finance, logistics, energy, communications, and health, among others.

Financial Services

  • (Considering advancing $1.19 million to) Co-operative Bank to increase access to finance to the underserved SME market segment
  •  Britam Holdings (Kenya Shillings 3,553,375, 000 equity (approximately US$35 million for 10.37% of Britam to support the insurance company develop its local agency network, strengthen its capital base, and the integration of a new IT platform.
  • KCB Group ($75 million loan) facility to KCB to be on-lent as Tier II qualifying subordinated debt.
  • NIC Bank ($198,000) and is designed to increase access to finance to the underserved SME market segment.
  • Equity Group Holdings (US$100 million senior loan) to help the Bank grow its lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (“SME”), women entrepreneurs and to support the continued diversification of funding sources.

Communication & Infrastructure

  • C-Squared – IFC ($15 million) together with Google Inc., Convergence Partners, and Mitsui & C to start a partnership in CSquared building metro fibre optic networks in Sub-Saharan Africa starting in Uganda and Ghana
  • Western Indian Ocean Cable Company (US$20 million) to fund regional expansion through the acquisition of additional capacity in Africa, increase connectivity to other fibre optic systems, upgrade its capacity on the EASSy cable and purchase network equipment.

Investment Funds

  • Investisseurs and Partenaires Afrique Entrepreneurs II ($10 million into the $80 million IPAE Fund), that will invest in small and medium companies in West, Central, East Africa and the Indian Ocean Region.
  • LeapFrog Emerging Consumer Fund III ($25 million) to make mid-market growth capital investments into financial services and healthcare investments.
  • Catalyst Fund II, LLC (US$15 million) to the fund that is seeking to raise up to US$200 million in third party commitments to make 8-12 mid-market growth capital investments.
  • (IFC to invest $7.5 million in) Fanisi Capital Fund II, a 10 year closed-end SME Ventures fund targeting growth-oriented SMEs in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda in four sectors: agribusiness, retail consumer (FMCG), healthcare and education.
  • African Local Currency Bond Fund (investment of $40 million) in a local currency bond fund sponsored by KfW and managed by LHGP Asset Management LLP.
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    Food Business
  •  ($3 million loan to) Nespresso (guaranteed by Nestlé S.A.) and $3 million grant from the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund (to be disbursed through the Nespresso Sustainability Innovation Fund) to support smallholder coffee farmers and producers in Ethiopia and Kenya involved in Nespresso’s AAA Program that is  being implemented by TechnoServe.
  • Kenya Tea Development Agency ($2.7 million)
  • (A proposed investment in Tropical Heat) to finance the expansion plans of the company which has purchased eight acres of land in Redhill to set up a new state-of-the-art factory, free of logistical constraints, and add production lines as needed for exports in the region.
  • (Approved loan of $3.5 million to) Insta Products (EPZ) a producer of ready to use therapeutic food, a high calorie fortified peanut paste based food product.

Energy & Logistics

  • Tobene Power SA – Melec PowerGen thermal plant in Senegal.
  • Africa Logistics Properties (US$10 million in ALP) which will develop and manage Grade A warehousing space in sub-Saharan Africa. For the first phase of this project, ALP is raising US$65-70 million to develop three key strategic sites (Tatu, Tilisi and Embakasi) around Nairobi. In May 2017, they broke ground on the Tatu one which, with 50,000 sqm in three units, will be the largest warehouse in Kenya to be built to international standards.
  • (IFC is looking to invest $5 million in equity with Investec Africa Private Equity Fund II) in Mobisol, a pay-as-you-go off-grid solar electricity provider operating in Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Health

  • The Medical Credit Fund (MCF) is a financing and technical assistance vehicle with a mandate to improve access to quality healthcare for underserved populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • IFC is considering a $10 million loan to Meghji Pethraj Shah Hospital (M.P. Shah) is one of Kenya’s oldest and most reputed hospitals for the construction and equipping of a new physiotherapy building and purchase of key medical equipment.

From Other Sources

  • IFC owns 10% of Kenya Airways that’s about to undergo a balance sheet restructuring.
  • As Kenya plans a green bond launch, in in South Africa, IFC successfully raised a 9-year, 1 billion Rand Green Bond via the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
  • Gulf African Bank aims to support SME businesses in Uasin Gishu County through provision of affordable Shari’ah compliant financing facilities and free business advisory services to be offered in partnership with (IFC.
  • The KCB Foundation and IFC, have a partnership to improve the sustainability of SME’s within the informal sector through IFC training within 2jiajiri to improve the management capacity and business performance of SME’s.
  • IFC invested $15 million in the Stanlib Fahari I-Reit.