News & Events

Mauritius has overtaken Nigeria as Africa’s top private equity destination in the first nine months of 2025. The island nation attracted $1.25 billion across just six deals, a remarkable 311% surge year-on-year. Nigeria recorded $987.5 million only from 45 transactions, down sharply from $3.8 billion the previous year.

Two mega-deals in June powered Mauritius’ rise: an $839 million diplomatic housing merger involving Grit Real Estate shares and a $367 million controlling-stake sale in Alphamin Resources. These large-cap transactions highlight Mauritius’ growing appeal for high-value private equity activity.

Long established as Africa’s leading international financial centre, Mauritius hosts over 450 private equity funds managing nearly $40 billion in African assets. Investors are drawn to its stable legal system, tax efficiency, extensive double-taxation treaty network (over 40 agreements), and strong regulatory framework.

Meanwhile, African M&A activity outside South Africa has slowed amid global volatility, rising interest rates, and currency challenges, making investors more selective. Nigeria still leads in deal volume but has seen values plummet due to FX shortages and macroeconomic pressures.

In 2025, Mauritius has cemented its position as the preferred gateway and holding jurisdiction for sophisticated private equity flows into Africa — proving that quality now trumps quantity on the continent.

Read the original article here: https://www.msymi.com/archives/44489

The 5th Global Youth Work Conference (GYWC2025), held for the first time in Asia, ended on a high note as over 220 youth workers, government officials, ministers, and young leaders from across the Commonwealth committed to elevating youth work into a formally recognised profession.

Co-hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Workers Association, and Universiti Putra Malaysia, the three-day event (November 2025) focused on repositioning youth work as an essential driver of democratic participation, economic resilience, climate action, and social development.

Delegates from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean exchanged regional insights and explored innovative tools—from AI and esports to community-based flood resilience programs—to better engage and empower young people in a rapidly changing world.

Read the original article here: https://thecommonwealth.org/news/commonwealth-conference-upholds-youth-work-catalyst-social-change

Mauritius-based FinTech startup Black Swan emerged as the winner of the 2025 MEST Africa Challenge (MAC) during a vibrant Grand Finale held at Innovation City in Cape Town.

Organised by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST Africa) and powered by Absa Group, this year’s pan-African pitch competition focused exclusively on FinTech solutions advancing financial inclusion, smarter payments, and digital transformation across the continent.

Co-founded by Derick Kazimoto, Black Swan addresses a critical barrier: millions of African consumers and MSMEs remain “invisible” to formal lenders due to fragmented and informal data. The startup transforms this scattered information into instant credit intelligence, enabling accurate affordability assessments and scalable, inclusive lending.

From hundreds of applications across eight Absa priority markets, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Mauritius, finalists pitched in Cape Town. Black Swan stood out for its clear market need and potential to complement Absa’s services.

As champion, Black Swan receives US$50,000 in equity investment, entry into the MEST portfolio, and opportunities to pilot solutions with Absa units continent-wide.

Read the original article here: https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/mauritian-startup-black-swan-wins-the-meltwater-entrepreneurial-school-of-technology-mest-africa-challenge-2025?lang=en