The Meridian

Development finance institution

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Checked against official source Last checked 15 November 2026

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries. Established in 1956 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., it operates as a member of the World Bank Group with a mandate to further economic development by encouraging the growth of productive private enterprise in member nations. The IFC's investment strategy combines the characteristics of a multilateral development bank with those of a private financial institution, providing long-term growth capital, debt, and advisory services. It primarily targets sustainable projects in challenging markets where private capital is scarce, often acting as a "catalytic" investor to mobilise third-party funding. As of late 2025, the IFC has shifted its operational model towards actively creating investable opportunities to distribute to other global investors, with a heightened focus on equity investments as a foundation for business growth and job creation.

Investment focus

Sectors
Financial servicesEnergy and powerTechnologyAgriculture and foodManufacturing and industrialsHealthcareReal estate and housingConsumerInfrastructureSMEs
Stages and strategies
SeedSeries ASeries B+GrowthFund investmentsPrivate creditProject finance
Instruments
EquityDebtMezzanine
Regions
Global, Northern Africa, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa
African markets named in public materials
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Funds managed

Fund commitments

Selected portfolio and direct investments

  • Abydos for Renewable Energy S.A.E.
  • Airtel Mobile Commerce B.V.
  • ARC Ride Global Limited
  • Breadfast LLC
  • Candi Solar SA (Proprietary) Limited
  • Carrefour Medical SARL
  • Complete Farmer Technologies Inc.
  • Coris Bank International Tchad
  • CrossBoundary Energy Access Holdings
  • Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie SA
  • Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company PLC
  • IPI Group Holding Limited
  • Jumia Technologies AG
  • Kifiya Financial Technology PLC
  • Marquardt Automotive Tunisie S.a.r.l.
  • MIDROC Investment Group
  • Pickalbatros Hotels and Resorts Group
  • PLP Properties Ltd
  • Quick Mart PLC
  • Rawbank S.A.
  • Safaga Terminal Operating Company S.A.E.
  • Société d'Exploitation du Transgabonais SA
  • We Light Ltd
  • West Indian Ocean Cable Company Ltd
  • Yakeey Inc.

Recent investments and transactions

DateTransactionTypeValueMarket
5 Nov 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests in Kifiya's operations in EthiopiaCorporate TransactionsUndisclosedKenya
3 Nov 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests EUR 52 million in Marquardt’s operations in TunisiaCorporate Transactions$58.2mTunisia
16 Oct 2026IFC and Attijariwafa Bank invest EUR 215 million in Pickalbatros Hotels & Resorts' operations in MoroccoCorporate Transactions, Real Estate$241.1mEgypt
9 Oct 2026Airtel Money's IPO at GBP 529 millionPrivate Equity, Corporate Transactions$699.8mRwanda
5 Oct 2026Quickmart's KSh 15bn IPOPrivate Equity, Corporate Transactions$115.6mKenya
29 Sep 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests USD 50 million in InfraCredit's operations in NigeriaPrivate Credit$50mNigeria
18 Sep 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Business Investment Financing Track (BIFT) invest USD 3.06 million in Complete Farmer's operations in GhanaPrivate Credit$3.1mTogo
16 Sep 2026IFC invests USD 10 million in PLP Properties for a 170-room Hampton by Hilton hotel in GhanaPrivate Credit, Real Estate$10mGhana
8 Sep 2026Novastar Ventures, Norrsken22 and partners invest USD 33.3 million in ARC Ride's operations in sub-Saharan Africa and South AfricaVenture Capital$33.3mKenya
12 Aug 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC), Axian, and partners invest USD 50 million in JumiaPrivate Equity$50mUganda
21 Jul 2026Proparco and IFC invest EUR 312 million in SETRAG for the Trans-Gabon Railway Modernisation Programme in GabonInfrastructure & Project Finance$356.2mGabon
14 Jul 2026IFC invests USD 15 million in Grands Hôtels de Mauritanie SA (GHM)Private Credit$15mMauritania
25 Jun 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests USD 10 million in CrossBoundary Access' operations in Sub-Saharan AfricaPrivate Equity$10mMadagascar
15 Jun 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests USD 80 million in MIDROC EthiopiaPrivate Credit$80mEthiopia
28 May 2026International Finance Corporation (IFC) and partners' investment in Coris Bank International Chad (CBI Chad) for USD 10 millionPrivate Credit$10mChad

All transactions

Sources

  1. Partner Researchers, accessed 14 November 2026
  2. Partner Researchers, accessed 14 November 2026
  3. https://disclosures.ifc.org/project-detail/SII/52070/lraf-ii, disclosures.ifc.org. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  4. https://serrarigroup.com/cardinalstone-raises-76m-first-close-for-growth-fund-ii/, serrarigroup.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  5. https://amethis.com/en/amethis-fund-iii-first-closing/, amethis.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  6. https://www.africaprivateequitynews.com/p/capitalworks-launches-new-south-african, www.africaprivateequitynews.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  7. https://www.ndf.int/what-we-finance/projects/project-database/zafiri-c176.html, www.ndf.int. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  8. https://www.adenia.com/news/adenia-hits-180-million-hard-cap-at-first-close-for-entrepreneurial-fund-announces-first-investment/, www.adenia.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  9. https://empowerafrica.com/fsdai-allied-climate-partners-commit-50-million-to-african-transition-acceleration-fund/, empowerafrica.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  10. https://www.startupresearcher.com/news/ifc-backs-aruwa-capital-with-8-million-for-west-african-smes, www.startupresearcher.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  11. https://www.phatisa.com/post/phatisa-food-fund-3-reaches-us-86-million-first-close-and-signs-its-first-investment, www.phatisa.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
  12. https://impact-investor.com/lendable-makes-combined-300m-first-close-for-two-blended-finance-funds/, impact-investor.com. Accessed 14 November 2026.
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  21. https://loftyinc.vc/loftyinc-capital-announces-43m-first-close-of-its-new-pan-african-seed-fund/, loftyinc.vc. Accessed 14 November 2026.
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  34. https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/africagogreen-fund-closes-47m-new-equity-investments-advance-climate-resilience-africa-59083, www.afdb.org. Accessed 14 November 2026.
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