Economy
Global Investors Hunt for Yields from Africa’s Property Markets
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
With Africa’s resurgent economies and property markets increasingly viewed as a smart destination for investors, global business leaders are beginning to hunt for yields and growth from the markets.
On September 20 and 21, 2018, stakeholders in the real estate sector in Africa will gather in Johannesburg, South Africa on how to chart a new course for the industry.
During the two days, senior African property investors, developers and decision makers will be at the 9th API Summit & Expo.
This year’s Summit promises to be the most robust and optimistic gathering in recent years as more than 600 executives representing 250 companies from 30 countries seek to capitalise off 3-4% continent-wide GDP growth, rising commodity prices headlined by $70 oil prices and greater political stability in Africa’s major bellwether economies.
According to Summit host, API Events’ managing director, Kfir Rusin, “Africa’s resurgent economies and property markets are increasingly viewed as a smart destination for investors as global business leaders hunt for yields and growth.”
As he adds, “This year’s theme – Building a Smarter Future for African Real Estate – will build the platform for influential property stakeholders to connect with each other and discuss issues around optimal sizing and restoring global confidence, while also unpacking innovations in building, identifying new funding avenues, and fostering better market transparency.”
The innovative far reaching theme and achievable objectives have gained traction with some of Africa’s largest pan-African property brands. These include its largest bank, Standard Bank, Africa’s most active acquirer of diverse property assets, Grit – Real Estate Income Group, Africa’s largest multidisciplinary property services company, Broll Property Group, and Ethiopian Airlines signing up as this year’s official airline sponsor.
Noted for her bullish views on African investment and rapid acquisition of assets in multiple African geographies, Bronwyn Corbett, chief executive officer of Grit, says, “The most significant factor contributing to a smarter future for Africa real estate is a change in perception around Africa in general and Africa real estate specifically. In 2018, foreign direct investment, political stability and infrastructure improvements have all been catalysts for creating more depth in Africa’s real estate markets, and the world is slowly figuring out the opportunities present on the continent. Real estate has a big role to play in tapping into these opportunities.”
Accessing and ‘waking to the continent’s opportunities’ has been a business advantage and imperative for the Summit’s lead sponsor, Broll Property Group, whose regional and continent leaders attend each year to share insights, debate and network with their peers. As the group’s head of African operations, Leonard Michau says, “Broll is proud to sponsor what is recognised as the leading real estate seminar within sub-Saharan Africa. The API Summit & Expo is well organised, and provides a range of high-quality content, speakers, and panellists.”
The accrual of speakers and ability to interact is a crucial objective for one of Africa’s most exacting funders, Standard Bank’s head of real estate finance, Gerhard Zeelie, as he adds, “The API Summit & Expo achieves impressive high-level participation from attendees across the continent while providing an important platform for delegates to showcase the trends and themes driving opportunity in real estate.”
Global and regional trends and their relevance and learnings to the API’s Summit’s shareholders – Africa’s real estate stakeholders – is what positions the Summit at the forefront of innovation and driving Africa’s markets forwards by delivering new and relevant presentations and case studies, says Rusin.
“This year, from a new trends perspective; we have some of Africa’s leading innovators including Respublica, The Capital Hotel Group and the Zero Carbon Group delivering first time case studies to African stakeholders on student housing, serviced apartments and prefabricated affordable housing solutions, respectively.”
Additional case studies and presentations unique to this year’s two-day conference include presentations by the Washington State Investment Board, the UN General Council on the future of Africa’s cities, Mauritius’ Smart Cities, the first African Index Real Estate Index Fund and bespoke retail and consumer insights and panel discussions with Novare, Massmart and Sagaci Research.
With Africa’s consumer and retail market estimated to be worth over $1 trillion in two years, the evolving and growing sector is of major concern to the continent major moneymen and the overall economy. As Standard Bank’s Zeelie says, “We are seeing growing consumerism in Africa, with increased use of mobile. The retail market, for example, is rapidly evolving and responding to changed consumer behaviour.”
Having successfully doubled its property investment and development conference portfolio across the continent in 2018 from four to nine conferences due to investor demand and sector activity, the interest in African real estate development is rising and reflects a changing view of the continent’s emerging markets, as Rusin concludes. “Our team’s experience and personal equity with international and African property decision makers has enabled us to attract executive delegates, speakers presenting new data and case studies from across the continent and internationally and we look forward to laying the foundation for a Smarter Future for African Real Estate.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria attracted $10.37 billion in capital importation in the first quarter of 2026, representing an 83.8 per cent increase from the $5.64 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The latest Capital Importation Report released by the stats bureau also showed that capital inflows rose by 60.97 per cent from $6.44 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The report stated, “In Q1 2026, total capital importation into Nigeria stood at $10.37bn, higher than $5.64bn recorded in Q1 2025, indicating an increase of 83.83 per cent. In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importation increased by 60.97 per cent from $6.44bn in Q4 2025.”
Analysis of the inflows showed that portfolio investment remained the dominant source of foreign capital, accounting for $9.86 billion or 95.09 per cent of the total amount imported into the economy.
The stats office disclosed that foreign direct investment stood at $135.08 million, representing only 1.30 per cent of total capital inflows, while other investments accounted for $374.48 million or 3.61 per cent.
“Portfolio Investment ranked top with $9.86bn, accounting for 95.09 per cent, followed by Other Investment with $374.48m, accounting for 3.61 per cent. Foreign Direct Investment recorded the least with $135.08m, representing 1.30 per cent of total capital importation in Q1 2026,” the report added.
A further breakdown showed that money market instruments attracted the largest share of portfolio investments at $6.50 billion, while investments in bonds amounted to $3.23 billion.
Equity investments under the portfolio category stood at $131.81 million.
The banking sector emerged as the biggest destination for foreign capital during the quarter, attracting $7.55 billion, representing 72.79 per cent of total inflows.
The financing sector followed with $2.43 billion or 23.42 per cent, while the production and manufacturing sector attracted $152.27 million, accounting for 1.47 per cent of total capital imported.
Other sectors that received foreign investments included shares, trading, agriculture, information technology services, telecommunications, oil and gas, transport, construction, healthcare, education, and consultancy services.
The United Kingdom remained Nigeria’s largest source of foreign capital, accounting for $5.08 billion or 49.01 per cent of total inflows. The United States followed with $3.18 billion, representing 30.69 per cent, while South Africa accounted for $983.83 million or 9.49 per cent.
Among financial institutions, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited received the highest capital inflow during the quarter at $4.41 billion, representing 42.56 per cent of the total.
Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc followed with $2.78 billion or 26.79 per cent, while Rand Merchant Bank handled $930.82 million, accounting for 8.97 per cent.
Other banks that facilitated capital inflows into the country during the period included Citibank Nigeria, Access Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, FCMB, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, and United Bank for Africa.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The 2026 licensing round for oil fields is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2026, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has disclosed.
This followed the approval of President Bola Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of NUPRC, Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, on Wednesday said the authorisation is in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“We are also fortunate that the President and Minister of Petroleum Resources has approved the 2026 Licensing Round,” the chief executive of the agency, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesa, was quoted as saying in the statement when she received representatives of Meren Energy (formerly Africa Oil) in Abuja yesterday.
Mrs Eyesan, who expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the 2025 Licensing Round so far, stated that the commercial bid would take place in July, after which the next licensing round would commence.
The NUPRC boss said the heightened participation in the 2025 Licensing Round was a testament to the fact that Nigeria was headed in the right direction.
She said the rise in investments, coupled with the upswing in production, was evidence that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, had become attractive.
“We are in the process of finalising the 2026 launch, which will happen by the third quarter at the latest. So, this is the make-or-break point, and we want to make sure we make it,” she stated.
In his remarks, the chief executive of Meren Energy, Mr Oliver Quinn, said the current reforms had inspired the company to increase its investments in Nigeria, hence its interest in asset divestments and licensing rounds, revealing that his company’s investment priority is Africa, of which Nigeria ranks as number one.
“We have operated in Agbami, Akpo and Egina world-class fields. I think till date, in 20 years, about $11bn in capital from our side has gone into these assets, and about $4bn has gone to tax and royalties,” he said, adding, “Nigeria remains the core of our business today because of the quality of these assets.”
According to Mr Quinn, Meren Energy is pressuring its partners on these assets to deepen their investments and then increase overall production, noting that the energy firm was the first in Nigeria to sell crude oil to the Dangote refinery and will continue to fulfil its Domestic Crude Supply Obligation so long as the price remains right.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange extended its gains by 0.91 per cent on Wednesday, June 3, spurred by three price gainers led by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, which rose by N13.90 to sell N210.41 per share versus the previous day’s N196.51 per share. MRS Oil appreciated by N10 to N190.00 per unit from N180.00 per unit, and Food Concepts Plc added 5 Kobo to sell at N3.00 per share versus N2.95 per share.
As a result, the market capitalisation increased by N23.91 billion to N2.660 trillion from N2.636 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) gained 39.97 points to finish at 4,446.27 points, in contrast to Tuesday’s 4,406.30 points.
The NASD exchange witnessed three price losers at midweek, led by Nipco Plc, which shrank by N21.30 to close at N325.97 per unit compared with the previous session’s N347.27 per unit, Nitrox Industrial Gases Plc went down by N1.20 to quote at N24.30 per share versus the preceding session’s N25.50 per share, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc weakened to by 69 Kobo to N75.41 per unit from N76.10 per unit.
The volume of trades yesterday significantly improved by 71.5 per cent to 527,221 units from Tuesday’s 307,363 units, as the value of transactions soared by 49.9 per cent to N64.2 million from the preceding session’s N49.9 million, and the number of deals surged by 9.5 per cent to 46 deals from 42 deals.
When trading activities ended for the day, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 64.6 million units exchanged for N4.4 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units traded for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
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