Private Equity

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Teranga Capital

Teranga Capital is the first impact investment fund dedicated to high-potential startups and SMEs in Senegal and Gambia. Since 2016 it provides financing and...

Teranga Capital logo

Teranga Capital

Teranga Capital is the first impact investment fund dedicated to high-potential startups and SMEs in Senegal and Gambia. Since 2016 it provides financing and support solutions designed for Senegalese and Gambian startups and SMEs. It offers minority equity investment and seed financing between 50 and 300 million FCFA, plus personalized support, technical assistance, and access to a network.

General information

Firm type

Private Equity

Year founded

2016

Location

Region

Africa

Country

Senegal

City

Dakar

Corporate office

Dakar, Senegal

Principals

Olivier M. F. F. Lelarge

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

Mamadou Diagne

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

Sector focus

Financial ServicesAgriTech & FoodTechHealthcare ServicesEnterprise Software

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at Teranga Capital?

Managing Partners Olivier Lelarge and Mamadou Diagne jointly lead the investment committee. Lelarge previously worked at Cauris Croissance, a francophone West Africa growth fund, while Diagne came from a corporate finance background with regional bank group CBAO. Both sign off on all portfolio construction and exit timing.

How does Teranga Capital source proprietary deal flow?

The firm relies on the partners' relationships with Senegalese commercial banks, local accounting networks, and the Dakar business community's informal networks. Lelarge's role as chair of the Senegalese Private Equity Association gives the firm early visibility into regulatory shifts that shape family-owned companies' succession-driven capital needs.

Does Teranga Capital participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

Teranga Capital only makes direct equity and quasi-equity investments in operating companies. It does not commit capital to other funds.

Which sectors does Teranga Capital explicitly avoid?

Teranga Capital has publicly disclosed exclusions for extractive industries, real estate development, and primary agriculture. Its mandate focuses on value-added processing, services, and distribution.

How is Teranga Capital related to any parent or affiliated entity?

Teranga Capital is an independent, partner-owned firm with no parent entity. It chose to remain independent rather than affiliate with a larger African private equity group, a deliberate structural decision the founding partners made when leaving their prior institutional roles.

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