Helios Investment Partners Satisfies $50 million OPIC Loan
September 8, 2015
(OPIC)
Focused strategy to build African market leaders; private equity fund repays
OPIC
Helios awarded inaugural OPIC Impact Award for Private Equity in 2014
WASHINGTON – Helios Investment Partners (“Helios”) has repaid in full a $50
million loan to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S.
government’s development finance institution. The OPIC loan, which was issued in
2006, helped capitalize Helios Investors, L.P. (the “Fund”) a $305 million
growth equity fund that invested across various sectors in sub-Saharan Africa.
With a focused investment strategy to build market-leading companies operating
in core economic sectors of key African markets, the Fund made six investments
and to date has exited three of them, generating sound financial returns while
laying a foundation for lasting development impact.
Through the Fund, Helios invested in Equity Bank, a leading bank in East Africa
that is empowering the unbanked population with products and services that
promote financial inclusion; launched HTN Towers, the first independent
telecommunications tower company in Africa devoted to building and operating
shared towers infrastructure, helping to drive down costs for mobile operators
and their customers; and expanded and supported marketing channels for
businesses operating in Africa with Continental Outdoor Media, Africa’s largest
outdoor advertiser.
“With OPIC’s original backing Helios has grown from one of the first private
equity investment firms in Africa to a successful fund manager that has earned
the trust and confidence of global commercial investors. Through Helios’
mobilization of private capital to support impactful and viable projects, OPIC
achieved both development and financial goals. The success of Helios’ emerging
market investments validates a strategy that simultaneously seeks high-quality
development objectives, viable financial returns, and catalyzes capital in
emerging markets," said Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC’s President and CEO.
Tope Lawani, co-founder and Managing Partner of Helios Investment Partners,
added, “We are proud of Helios’ long association with OPIC, and pleased to
demonstrate through our successful investments the positive impact of the
capital it has provided to our funds over the years. OPIC’s support for Helios’
funds has catalyzed commitments from the world’s leading institutional investors
who recognize the value of having OPIC invest alongside them to access
compelling investment opportunities in African markets.”
Following the initial loan to Helios in 2006, OPIC approved an additional $78.5
million for Helios Investors II, L.P, a $908 million fund raised in 2010.
In 2014, OPIC awarded Helios Investment Partners the inaugural OPIC Impact Award
for Private Equity, recognizing the firm’s successful strategy for social impact
through private investment in a diverse array of sectors across the African
continent.
Welcome to the Exporting Source
Your one-stop resource for finding help to export to new customers, to learn about government export programs, to join export-promoting trade missions, to sign up for trade conferences and training, and to link to other exporting services. Whether you're an old hand at exporting or just getting started, the Exporting Source provides a place to locate foreign customers, export financing and foreign investment assistance.