Downtown Africa
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) invests in companies and projects in lower and middle income countries, including emerging economies in Africa, to address critical global and regional challenges.
Mr. Terry Kier, Mr. Ziad Oueslati, and Ms. Sheeba Philip joined Senior Fellow Aubrey Hruby to share about their companies, their models, and how the DFC’s support has impacted their companies’ growth. Watch their interviews below to learn more about SA Taxi, AfricInvest, and Akola.
Terry Kier, Chief Executive Officer at SA Taxi
Mr. Terry Kier, chief executive officer at SA Taxi, discusses the minibus taxi industry in South Africa, its democratic structure, and how the DFC’s support has allowed his company to help keep the industry going during the COVID-19 crisis.
SA Taxi provides developmental finance, insurance, and other services to South Africa’s minibus taxi industry to ensure its sustainability as a critical part of the country’s public transportation sector.
Ziad Oueslati, Founding Partner at AfricInvest
Mr. Ziad Oueslati, founding partner at AfricInvest, discusses how the DFC’s support has helped to grow AfricInvest’s private equity and private credit financing platform and the potential for growth and innovation in the private equity industry post-COVID.
AfricInvest is a fund that provides financing in private equity to African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Sheeba Philip, Chief Executive Officer at Akola
Ms. Sheeba Philip, chief executive officer at Akola, discusses how the DFC’s support has strengthened her company’s impact on the women it employs in Uganda and their livelihoods. She also shares how she foresees the company’s path for growth post-COVID.
Akola is a luxury jewelry brand that provides employment to Ugandan women to create its pieces, which are sold by US retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
To learn more about the DFC, visit www.dfc.gov.
Investing in Africa’s Future
Investing in Africa’s Future is a premier public forum jointly hosted by the Atlantic Council and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to promote US trade and investment in African markets.
