The latest Stears Private Capital in Africa Report for Q3 2024 has revealed that five countries—Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt—together accounted for 85% of all private market deals during the quarter. These nations, dubbed the ‘Big 5 economies,’ continue to attract a disproportionate share of investment, particularly in the technology and energy sectors.
According to the report, only 15% of transactions occurred outside of these major economies, highlighting their central role in shaping Africa’s private investment landscape. These countries are increasingly seen as hubs for high-value investments, providing more favorable environments for startups and scaling companies.
Sectoral Trends and Investment Patterns
The report also noted that all technology investments in Q3 2024 were concentrated in the Big 5 countries, underlining their importance in fostering the growth of tech startups. In contrast, the energy sector showed a slightly more balanced distribution, with 85% of energy-related transactions occurring in the Big 5 countries, compared to 62% in non-Big 5 nations.
Interestingly, investments outside the Big 5 countries tended to be more debt-based, with 28% of transactions in these markets relying on debt financing, as compared to 18% in the Big 5. This suggests that non-Big 5 countries are generally viewed as lower-risk environments for debt financing, in contrast to the higher equity investments flowing into the larger economies.
Regional Breakdown of Private Market Activity
Regionally, Southern Africa led the private market transaction activity in Q3 2024, with 45% of all deals recorded, followed by East Africa at 41%, and West Africa at 33%. Central Africa lagged significantly, contributing just 8% of the continent’s total private market deals.
South Africa and Kenya were standout performers in their respective regions, with South Africa accounting for 73% of Southern Africa’s deals, while Kenya made up 80% of East Africa’s transactions. Rwanda, with 15% of all African deals, contributed 37% of East Africa’s activity, while Namibia played a smaller role, with just 5% of all African deals.
In West Africa, Nigeria led the charge, contributing 71% of the region’s transactions, with Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal also showing strong participation in the private market, with 38%, 33%, and 29% of deals, respectively.
North Africa saw a highly concentrated market, with Egypt accounting for 93% of the region’s private market deals, making it the most dominant country by regional share in Q3 2024. Morocco, by comparison, only contributed 21% of North Africa’s deals.
Sector-Specific Investment Insights
The report also highlighted sectoral concentrations in private market transactions. In particular, financial services deals were highly prominent in both East and West Africa, with these regions each accounting for 46% of all financial services transactions, exceeding their overall share of private market deals.
Technology investments were most concentrated in East Africa, which led with 60% of all technology-related transactions, followed by Southern Africa at 45%. Conversely, Southern Africa’s financial services sector performed below the continental average, accounting for only 33% of deals in the sector.
West Africa also made significant strides in the energy sector, contributing 46% of all energy transactions, far exceeding its overall share of 33% of the continent’s deals.
The report paints a clear picture of Africa’s evolving private capital landscape, with the Big 5 economies—Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt—continuing to attract the lion’s share of investment across key sectors. This concentration of capital in these markets reflects their growing influence as key drivers of economic growth and innovation on the continent.