• EIB invests €20M in fund aiding EU SMEs' Africa expansion

• Amethis fund targets growth sectors to build EU-Africa business ties

• Investment aims to boost tech transfer, jobs, and local supply chains
  

The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced on Friday, October 31, 2025, a 20 million euro (approximately $23 million) investment in the Amethis Europe Expansion fund.

The fund is designed to support European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to expand their operations into Africa. It provides these companies with both growth capital and strategic support to facilitate their entry into the continent through exports, partnerships, acquisitions, or direct investments.

This commitment marks the EIB’s fifth investment in a fund managed by Amethis, an impact private equity firm founded in 2011 by Luc Rigouzzo and Laurent Demey, former executives of Proparco. EIB Vice President Ambroise Fayolle stated the move aims to support sustainable economic partnerships and foster the development of shared value chains between Europe and Africa.

The EIB, the lending arm of the European Union, is already a major European financier in Africa, with investments spanning infrastructure, renewable energy, financial services, and the private sector.

The Amethis Europe Expansion fund currently holds a final capitalization of 143 million euros. It draws capital from various European investors, including France’s Bpifrance, Spain’s development finance agency Cofides, private institutional investors, and family offices.

Through this investment vehicle, the EIB seeks to stimulate economic cooperation between European and African businesses. The targeted SMEs operate in high-growth sectors such as agribusiness, healthcare, logistics, financial services, telecommunications, and consumer goods.

For African economies, this investment is expected to help increase technology transfers, strengthen local supply chains, and create new skilled jobs. Since its inception, Amethis has invested in nearly 30 African companies operating across more than 20 countries, contributing to their growth and professional development.

Chamberline Moko