SAHEL Capital
Sahel Capital is a Lagos-based private equity and advisory firm managing funds that invest $3-15 million in West African agribusiness companies, with a second $75M-target fund (SCAF II) and a debt facility (SEFAA) serving mid-market branded food, packaging, and cold-chain businesses alongside smallholder farmer networks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLagos, Nigeria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SAHEL Capital does
Sahel Capital is a Lagos, Nigeria-based private equity and advisory firm founded in 2010 that specializes exclusively in West African agribusiness investments. The firm operates a multi-vehicle fund platform comprising three principal products: the Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II (SCAF II), a $75 million-target private equity vehicle (with $29 million first-closed in January 2026) investing $3-15 million per company in branded packaged foods, sustainable packaging, and cold-chain distribution across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal; the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA), a debt-financing facility providing $400K to $1.8M working capital loans to mid-market agribusinesses and smallholder aggregation networks in Nigeria, Uganda, and Benin; and FAFIN, the predecessor fund that delivered notable exits including 10x revenue growth at L&Z Integrated Farms.
The firm's go-to-market is direct investment from Lagos, with deal sourcing through industry networks, development finance institution partnerships (notably KfW Development Bank and a U.S.-based family office as anchor LPs in SCAF II), and selective outbound to branded packaged foods and sustainable packaging opportunities. Sahel Capital deliberately avoids pure primary agriculture due to perceived misalignment with private equity return timelines, instead targeting branded, value-added segments with identifiable exit pathways. The platform combines financial return objectives with explicit impact targets—SCAF II aims to create over 2,000 direct jobs and improve livelihoods for approximately 30,000 smallholder farmers.
Sahel Capital is led by co-founder and Managing Partner Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli and Partner Tosin Ojo, with a team of 11-50 employees. Revenue is generated through fund management fees on committed and deployed capital, debt service income on SEFAA loan facilities, and potential carried interest on exits such as the FAFIN realizations. The firm has no proprietary AI or technology platform disclosed; competitive differentiation rests on sector specialization, DFI-backed capital access, a track record of portfolio outcomes (10x revenue growth, 60%+ export growth), and smallholder supply chain integration supporting regulatory compliance such as EU Deforestation Regulation.
SAHEL Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SAHEL Capital
- Legal name
- Sahel Capital
- Website
- https://sahelcp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sahel Capital is a Lagos-based private equity and advisory firm managing funds that invest $3-15 million in West African agribusiness companies, with a second $75M-target fund (SCAF II) and a debt facility (SEFAA) serving mid-market branded food, packaging, and cold-chain businesses alongside smallholder farmer networks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SAHEL Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Private Equity Fund Management
- NAICS
- All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399), Other Financial Vehicles (525990), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital) (BPAHAOAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Middle-Market Lending (FSANADAI), Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)
Keywords
Where SAHEL Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lagos
- HQ country
- Nigeria
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
SAHEL Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Private Equity Fund Management: Sahel Capital generates returns through private equity investments in agribusiness companies across West Africa. The firm manages multiple fund vehicles including FAFIN (first fund) and SCAF II (second fund), targeting equity returns through portfolio company growth and exits.
- Debt Financing (SEFAA): Through the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA), Sahel Capital provides loan facilities to agricultural enterprises. Returns generated through interest on loans and potential equity upside.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
SAHEL Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sahel Capital is a private equity fund manager and advisory firm that deploys institutional capital into West African agribusiness companies. The firm operates multiple investment vehicles including the $75 million target Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II (SCAF II), the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA) debt facility, and the predecessor FAFIN fund. Investments range from $3 million to $15 million per company, targeting branded packaged foods, sustainable packaging, and cold-chain distribution platforms across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal.
Product overview
Sahel Capital is an investment management firm that operates multiple specialized investment funds targeting African agribusinesses. The core products are: (1) Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II (SCAF II) - a $75 million target private equity fund investing $3-15 million in West African agribusiness companies; (2) Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA) - a working capital loan facility supporting agribusinesses and smallholder farmer supply chains; and (3) FAFIN - the predecessor fund that achieved successful exits. The firm focuses on branded packaged foods, sustainable packaging, and avoiding pure primary agriculture due to misaligned private equity return timelines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II (SCAF II) A $75 million target private equity fund that invests $3 million to $15 million per company in West African agribusiness companies across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. The fund focuses on branded packaged foods, sustainable packaging, and cold-chain distribution platforms, aiming to create over 2,000 direct jobs and improve livelihoods for approximately 30,000 smallholder farmers.
- Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA) A debt financing vehicle providing working capital loan facilities to agricultural enterprises and smallholder farmer supply chains across Africa, including investments in coffee, cocoa, cashew, and other value chains. Loan sizes have ranged from $400,000 to $1.8 million, with renewals and scale-ups for portfolio companies such as Sukuma Commodities, Rasad Nigeria, and MM LEKKER.
- FAFIN (Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria) The predecessor private equity fund to SCAF II, which achieved successful exits including L&Z Integrated Farms (10x revenue growth) and Coscharis Farms. FAFIN established the track record and deal pipeline that enabled the launch of the larger SCAF II fund.
Companies that use SAHEL Capital
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SAHEL Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SAHEL Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SAHEL Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Actis: Global emerging-markets PE investor with deep Africa exposure across consumer, energy and agribusiness. Comparable as an institutional Africa-focused PE manager targeting growth-stage companies in emerging markets.
- Ethos Private Equity: Pan-African mid-market PE firm operating across multiple sub-Saharan geographies and sectors. Comparable as a multi-fund Africa PE manager, though predominantly Southern Africa and broader sector mandate.
- Helios Investment Partners: One of the largest Africa-focused PE platforms with consumer and agribusiness exposure. Comparable as a multi-fund Africa PE manager, though significantly larger and more diversified than Sahel.
Regional players
- Verod Capital: Nigeria-focused growth equity firm investing in mid-market businesses across consumer, financial services and agriculture. Directly comparable as a Lagos-based PE manager deploying similar ticket sizes into West African companies.
- CardinalStone Capital: Nigerian investment management and advisory firm with private equity and capital-advisory arms serving mid-market companies. Comparable in geographic focus, ticket size and dual PE/advisory model.
Emerging players
- Novastar Ventures: East/West Africa PE firm backing early-growth consumer and business-services companies. Comparable as an Africa-focused growth PE manager, though typically earlier-stage and lighter sector focus.
- Acumen: Impact investment firm with patient-capital and equity strategies across Africa and South Asia, including agriculture and food systems. Comparable as a DFI-anchored impact investor with West African exposure.
Direct peers
- AgDevCo: Specialist impact investor in African agribusiness, providing debt and equity to SMEs and smallholder-linked businesses. The most direct functional peer given the agribusiness focus, impact mandate and SME ticket sizes.
- Fanisi Capital: Africa-focused private equity fund manager investing in early-to-growth stage SMEs across East and West Africa. Directly comparable in thesis (African SME growth capital) and ticket size, though broader sectorally.
- Root Capital: Impact-focused agricultural lender and equity investor in Africa and Latin America, financing SMEs in coffee, cocoa and other value chains. Comparable for SEFAA's debt-financing activity and agribusiness SME focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SAHEL Capital social profiles
Digital presenceSAHEL Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SAHEL Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
SAHEL Capital subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
SAHEL Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SAHEL Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments18 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SAHEL Capital
What does SAHEL Capital do?
Sahel Capital is a private equity fund manager and advisory firm that deploys institutional capital into West African agribusiness companies. The firm operates multiple investment vehicles including the $75 million target Sahel Capital Agribusiness Fund II (SCAF II), the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA) debt facility, and the predecessor FAFIN fund. Investments range from $3 million to $15 million per company, targeting branded packaged foods, sustainable packaging, and cold-chain distribution platforms across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal.
Is SAHEL Capital a public or private company?
SAHEL Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SAHEL Capital founded?
SAHEL Capital was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SAHEL Capital based?
SAHEL Capital is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, in the Africa region.
How does SAHEL Capital make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Private Equity Fund Management is the primary driver. The others are debt Financing (SEFAA).
Who are SAHEL Capital's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Actis, Ethos Private Equity and Helios Investment Partners. Regional players are Verod Capital and CardinalStone Capital. Emerging players are Novastar Ventures and Acumen. Direct peers are AgDevCo, Fanisi Capital and Root Capital.
Does SAHEL Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for SAHEL Capital.
What industry is SAHEL Capital in?
SAHEL Capital's product category is Agricultural Private Equity Fund Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAE, Equity Capital Advisory (Private Equity Placements, Growth Capital), with a secondary code of FSANADAI, Middle-Market Lending. Its NAICS code is 52399 and its SIC code is 6282.