Private Equity

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PanAfrican Investment Company

PanAfrican Investment is a private investment firm founded by Richard Parsons and Ronald Lauder. The firm focuses on investments in sub-Saharan Africa.

PanAfrican Investment Company

PanAfrican Investment is a private investment firm founded by Richard Parsons and Ronald Lauder. The firm focuses on investments in sub-Saharan Africa. It has made 4 investments, including a 2018 investment in Mobius Motors.

General information

Firm type

Private Equity

Year founded

2012

AUM

Undisclosed

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

New York

Corporate office

New York, NY, United States

Frequently asked questions

What is PanAfrican Investment Company's investment mandate?

The firm invests in venture and growth-stage companies across Africa, with a focus on sectors where technology and regulatory change are creating new markets. The mandate spans fintech, enterprise software, and healthcare services, among other asset-light industries. PanAfrican Investment Company operates from New York, which allows it to bridge local African market knowledge with international institutional investor standards.

How does PanAfrican Investment Company source its deals?

The firm maintains a bilateral sourcing model that combines on-the-ground networks in target African countries with capital-markets relationships in New York. Investment professionals work through partner networks in key markets such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda. This structure helps the firm access deal flow that may not circulate through traditional development-finance or impact-investing channels.

Does PanAfrican Investment Company participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

PanAfrican Investment Company makes direct equity investments, taking both minority and control positions. It also participates in syndicated investments with other Africa-focused institutional managers. The firm does not publicly operate as a fund-of-funds, maintaining a primary focus on direct company exposure.

Which geographies does PanAfrican Investment Company cover?

The firm's investment footprint concentrates on Anglophone West Africa — primarily Nigeria and Ghana — and extends into East Africa's technology hubs, notably Kenya and Rwanda. These markets are selected for their mobile penetration rates, policy reform trajectories, and startup formation density. The firm operates from a headquarters in New York, United States.

What is PanAfrican Investment Company's relationship to development finance institutions?

PanAfrican Investment Company is structured as a private, commercial investment firm, not a development finance institution. Its New York base and for-profit mandate distinguish it from concessional capital providers. The firm targets market-rate returns, investing in scalable businesses rather than pursuing impact-first or grant-funded objectives.

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