Enabling access to more flexible financing, private credit funds can be a powerful tool to address the persistent financing gap for mid-sized businesses across Africa.
Therefore, we are proud to provide an anchor commitment to the Enko Impact Credit Fund, which has raised $100 million at its first close, alongside investment from other DFIs and commercial investors including African pension funds and family offices.
Enko’s flagship private credit fund will provide tailored capital solutions to companies in sectors critical to inclusive and sustainable growth, such as agriculture, telecommunications, manufacturing, renewable energy, and financial services.
These businesses, despite having great economic potential, remain underfunded by commercial banks. By offering access to more flexible, growth capital, the fund will look to prove the commercial viability of private credit as an asset class in Africa while enabling local businesses to scale up their operations and impact.
Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Executive Officer at BII, said:
“Our commitment to the Enko Impact Credit Fund reflects BII’s belief in the commercial potential of private credit in Africa and its role in closing the financing gap for mid-sized businesses. By anchoring the fund’s first close, our aim is to send a strong signal to other investors, attract additional capital and help build a viable private credit market that supports businesses critical to economic growth in Africa.”
Alain Nkontchou, Managing Partner of Enko Capital, added:
“The successful first close of Enko’s flagship private credit strategy underscores growing investor confidence in Africa’s sustainable development through private credit. With the support of leading international institutional development and impact investors; and local partners, the Fund is strategically positioned to offer customised capital solutions to high-quality mid-market SMEs, unlocking growth, supporting job creation, and advancing sustainable development, while generating compelling risk-adjusted returns for our investors.
BII’s private credit investments are designed to deliver scalable impact, deepen capital markets, and attract commercial capital into Africa’s economies. Some of our private credit fund investments include BluePeak Private Capital Fund II, Africa Go Green Fund, African Rivers Fund IV and more. 
From left to right: Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Executive Officer, BII; The Rt Hon Baroness Chapman of Darlington, UK Minister of State (International Development and Africa); Alain Nkontchou, Managing Partner, Enko Capital; Mohamed Gouled, Vice President of Industries, IFC.
For media inquiries, please contact:
BII: Paschorina Mortty I [email protected]
About British International Investment
British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. The organisation invests in businesses in developing countries to improve people’s lives and help protect the planet. BII’s work targets the underlying causes of poverty and the climate crisis, helping countries break free from aid dependency for good.
Between 2022-2026, at least 30 per cent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. BII is also a founding member of the 2X Challenge which has raised over $33.6 billion to empower women’s economic development. The company has investments in over 1,600 businesses across 66 countries and total net assets of £9.87 billion. For more information, visit: www.bii.co.uk | watch here. Follow British International Investment on LinkedIn, Bluesky and X.
