AFRICA – Standard Bank, a financial services group, has invested in Acre Impact Capital’s Export Finance Fund I to facilitate its target capital raise and achieve its first closing.
Acre Impact Capital’s Export Finance Fund I will provide debt financing targeted towards climate-aligned essential infrastructure projects in Africa.
Standard Bank is the largest commercial bank investor in the fund. Investing in the fund provided the bank with an opportunity to support a market-first unique platform that will help converge new and innovative financing sources that aim to address the infrastructure backlog in Africa sustainably.
Acre Impact Capital was founded on the belief that investments in climate-aligned essential infrastructure are fundamental to economic growth and providing critical services to underserved populations.
The company’s investment strategy involves co-investing alongside well-established export credit agency partners to achieve risk-adjusted market-rate returns for investors while mobilizing up to 5.6 times the private sector capital for every dollar invested.
Acre Impact Capital leverages its strong relationships and partnerships with key players in the export finance ecosystem to access a diverse pool of curated opportunities across Africa.
The Fund will invest in climate-aligned and sustainable infrastructure projects in the renewable energy, health, food and water security, sustainable cities and green transportation sectors.
The Fund also crowds in new sources of capital into the above climate—and sustainability-related investment segments at a time of increased financing stress in Africa.
For decades, there has been a consistent gap in funding for African infrastructure projects, which increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fund aims to fill this gap while simultaneously unlocking opportunities for many otherwise bankable projects, helping them achieve financial close and providing much-needed, essential climate-aligned infrastructure to African countries.
“As Africa’s largest bank and a market leader in Export Finance for Africa, we consistently seek opportunities to drive meaningful and sustainable growth across the continent,” Standard said.
We are very proud to have the opportunity to invest in Acre Impact Capital’s Export Finance Fund I, as its aspirations align with the bank’s sustainable finance mandate.
Through this partnership, we will be able to significantly improve the lives of African citizens while promoting economic growth in our communities.”
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