AFSIC 2017, The Gate to Africa's Financial Sector

What is the objective of AFSIC?

AFSIC, which is an abbreviation for Africa Financial Services Investment Conference, is the leading investment event focused on Africa’s financial sector. African Banks, Insurance Companies and Microfinance Institutions from across the continent attend in order to meet global debt and equity investors who are looking to invest in equity or senior or subordinated debt capital. The large number of investors attending makes the event highly attractive as delegates are able to hold a wide range of high impact business focused meetings in one place at one go.

Can you tell us a bit about the history of AFSIC?

The first Africa Financial Services Investment Conference (AFSIC) took place in May 2013 and was held in Brighton UK. Since then the event has blossomed. AFSIC moved to London in 2016 and continues to show very strong annual growth as more investors and financial sector companies become aware of the importance of the event. AFSIC 2017 is the fifth Africa Financial Services Investment Conference.

What types of African financial services companies attend?

Banks, Insurance Companies and Microfinance companies, both those listed on African or other Stock Exchanges, and private companies attend AFSIC from all parts of Africa.

What types of investors attend?

Investors focused on both Equity and Senior or Subordinated debt attend AFSIC. The strong range of investors attending results in a focus on a range of investment sizes. For instance, organisations such as the IFC, EIB, AFDB, and some of the largest Private Equity funds may be looking for investment sizes of $50m plus. While other investors including Listed Equity funds, Impact Investors, Development Finance Institutions, smaller Private Equity funds may invest in a range of sizes from as small as $100,000 to much greater amounts.

How do I meet these Investors?

Multiple opportunities to meet Investors are built into the programme, including an online meeting system which specifically highlights investors allowing delegates to arrange their own one on one meetings, to networking lunches and panel discussions. Many investors also present themselves at AFSIC allowing attendees to understand better which investor is most suited to their own requirements.

Who attended last year’s AFSIC?

Over 200 companies including banks, insurance companies, microfinance and leasing companies etc. attended the 2016 event. Investors attending AFSIC 2016 included a wide range of major Africa focused funds that made presentations such as Actis, African Development Bank, Amethis Finance, CDC, Development Partners International, European Investment Bank, FMO, Frontier Markets Fund Managers, Helios, Leapfrog Investments, TLG Capital and the World Bank among many others.

Who else might attend?

Apart from investors and delegates from African focused financial services companies, you can expect to meet a wide range of delegates with an interest in Africa’s financial services sector, including research analysts from leading investment banks, financial institutions group teams, sell side analysts, corporate finance advisors, members of the Africa Press Corps, private investors, and attendees from companies looking for business opportunities in Africa.

What is the Meet African Dealmaker event?

This event, which is focused on Dealmakers, such as stockbrokers, investment bankers, M&A experts etc takes place the first night of AFSIC within the Houses of Parliament on the banks of the River Thames. The event is highly recommended for delegates wanting to expand their network further across the African continent.

What is new for 2017

As AFSIC has grown the event team has strived to introduce new opportunities to make the interaction between investors and Financial Services companies from Africa even stronger. The biggest change at AFSIC 2017 has been the addition of an extra half day in the programme, this reflects the growth in AFSIC, and its strong appeal to investors as a highly convenient venue to meet a wide range of investment opportunities.

AFSIC 2017 sees the addition of four exciting panels focusing on the investment opportunities in North, South, West and East Africa. These panels have some excellent local companies participating who will provide real insight into these investment areas.

We are also delighted that FSD (Financial Sector Deepening) Africa which will be concentrating on highlighting opportunities in investing in Africa’s Financial Sector Frontier, specifically focusing on opportunities in Zimbabwe, Sierra  Leone and the DRC as well as a dynamic session looking at Diaspora finance, remittances and long term displaced people and the associated growth and investment opportunities offered by this unique situation.

Finally we are offering smaller companies the opportunity to record videos of themselves presenting the merits of their own companies. These videos will then be made available to investors and other delegates after AFSIC.

To view the full agenda and for more information and registration, visit www.afsic.net