SAHEL Capital

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.

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

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

• Agribusiness private equity
• West Africa investments
• Agricultural debt financing
• Smallholder farmer finance
• Growth capital funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Core 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.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sahel-consulting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments18 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAHEL Capital