Africa’s growth needs more capital: Zedcrest unveils investment banking offering

Charles Okonji

In response to the increasing demand for both short-term and long-term capital solutions across Africa, Zedcrest has launched its Investment Banking offering, a strategic move aimed at supporting businesses, governments, and institutions seeking access to capital, advisory services, and structured financing solutions.

The new offering, which will be delivered through Zedcrest Global Markets, marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the financial institution, expanding its capabilities beyond traditional financial services and strengthening its position as a comprehensive capital solutions provider on the continent.

Speaking on the development, the Group Managing Director of Zedcrest Group, Adedayo Amzat, said the launch comes at a time when Africa’s economic growth ambitions are fueling increased demand for infrastructure financing, long-term capital, and sophisticated transaction advisory services.

According to him, despite the growing opportunities across African economies, many businesses and public-sector institutions continue to face challenges in accessing funding and executing complex financial transactions.

“Africa’s economic growth ambitions are driving increased demand for long-term capital, infrastructure financing, and transaction advisory services. Yet many businesses and public-sector institutions continue to face challenges accessing funding and executing complex financial transactions,” Amzat stated.

He explained that the Investment Banking offering has been structured around three major service pillars: Capital Markets, Financial Advisory, and Project and Structured Finance.

Under the Capital Markets division,
Zedcrest will provide advisory and execution services for equity and debt fundraising transactions. These include Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), rights issues, private placements, commercial papers, and bond issuances.

Amzat noted that the goal is to assist clients in accessing funding while optimizing their capital structures and supporting long-term business growth and expansion plans.

The Financial Advisory practice, he said, will offer expertise in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, private equity fundraising, corporate restructuring, and valuation services.

The division is designed to help clients navigate strategic transactions, improve operational efficiency, and unlock enterprise value.

In addition, the Project and Structured Finance division will focus on arranging funding solutions for large-scale infrastructure, energy, and other capital-intensive projects. Services under this segment will include project financing, refinancing, Development Finance Institution (DFI) funding support, and structured financing arrangements.

Amzat disclosed that the new offering is tailored to serve critical sectors that are driving economic growth and development across Africa, including energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, manufacturing, financial services, and the public sector.

He observed that African markets are undergoing a significant transformation, with businesses, governments, and development institutions increasingly seeking sophisticated financing and advisory support to implement growth initiatives and economic reforms.

“The future of Africa’s growth will depend not only on access to capital but on the institutions that can structure, deploy, and manage that capital effectively. Our Investment Banking offering strengthens our ability to support businesses, governments, and development institutions with the financial solutions required to achieve sustainable growth,” he said.

The Zedcrest Group Managing Director further emphasized the company’s ambition to help clients navigate increasingly complex financial environments while facilitating transactions that contribute to long-term economic development across the continent.

Industry analysts believe the launch is timely, particularly as African economies continue to explore innovative financing models to fund infrastructure projects, accelerate industrialization, support business expansion, and drive broader economic transformation.

With the introduction of its Investment Banking offering, Zedcrest is positioning itself to play a more prominent role in connecting capital with opportunities across Africa, while supporting sustainable development and economic growth across multiple sectors.

Zedcrest is an African financial institution with operations spanning asset management, capital markets, securities, and investment solutions.