What Centum does

Centum Investment Company PLC is a publicly listed East African investment holding company (NSE: KE0000000265; USE cross-listed) headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, operating through three core business lines: Centum Real Estate (master-planned urban nodes including Two Rivers, Pearl Marina, and the 14,000-acre Vipingo Development), Centum Capital Partners (private equity in financial services, education, agribusiness, power, and manufacturing), and Nabo Capital (CMA-licensed marketable securities and third-party fund management). The company's portfolio also includes Longhorn Publishers (60.2%-owned, seven-country educational publisher), Greenblade Growers (herb exports), Tribus TSG (security services), and Akiira Geothermal (85% stake, 70MW planned capacity near Naivasha).

Centum generates revenue through multiple streams: rental income and property sales from real estate developments; asset management fees from Nabo Capital; dividends, interest, and capital gains from its private equity and marketable securities portfolios; and capital appreciation across its asset base. The group's go-to-market is institutional, targeting high-net-worth individuals, institutional investors, and development finance institutions via dual-exchange listing, direct enterprise sales (construction-ready sites at Two Rivers), and an active investor relations program including AGMs (58th scheduled for 2025), sustainability reporting, and half-year/full-year results briefings.

The company is undergoing active portfolio rebalancing: the 83.4% Sidian Bank stake is being divested to Access Bank (binding agreement 2022, completion 2026), and the Bakki Holdco sale completed in March 2026. Recent offensive moves include the June 2024 $47.5 million Vantage Capital facility for TRIFIC SEZ and the May 2026 launch of a Sh5 billion (approximately USD 39 million) Green USD-Yield I-REIT — Kenya's first private business-services SEZ-based income REIT, designed to attract international capital with USD-denominated returns.

Name

Centum

Legal name

Centum Investment Company PLC

Website

https://centum.co.ke

Company type

Public

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Centum Investment Company PLC is a publicly listed East African investment holding company operating through three subsidiaries — Centum Real Estate, Centum Capital Partners, and Nabo Capital — providing institutional and high-net-worth investors diversified exposure to real estate, private equity, and marketable securities across Kenya, Uganda, and broader East Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Management

NAICS

Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (52599), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799), Real Estate Investment Trusts (6798), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Portfolio & Fund Management (Institutional/REIT/PE) (BPAJAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Real Estate Asset Management (BPAJAMAB), Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB), Real Estate Funds — Core (Stabilized, Income) (FSANAEAF)

Keywords

• Investment holding company
• Private equity management
• Real estate development
• Asset management services
• Marketable securities management

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Dividends: Centum generates revenue through returns on its investment portfolio including dividends, interest income, capital gains from exits, and rental income from real estate holdings. The company also earns management fees through its subsidiaries including Nabo Capital and generates value through appreciation of its investment assets.
2. Real Estate Development: Revenue from development and management of master-planned urban nodes including Two Rivers Mall, Garden City Mall, and Pearl Marina. The company generates income through property sales, rental income, and urban management fees.
3. Asset Management Fees: Nabo Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary, manages investment portfolios for third-party clients and generates fee income from asset management services including equity, money markets, and fixed income portfolios.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Centum Investment Company PLC is a publicly listed investment holding company that provides investors access to a portfolio of inaccessible, quality, diversified investments through three core business lines: Private Equity (managed by Centum Capital Partners), Real Estate (managed by Centum Real Estate), and Marketable Securities (managed by Nabo Capital). The company develops large-scale mixed-use urban nodes such as Two Rivers and Vipingo, manages third-party investment portfolios, and holds portfolio companies across financial services, education, agribusiness, security services, and renewable energy.

Product overview

Centum Investment Company PLC operates as a diversified investment holding company with three core business units: Private Equity (managed by Centum Capital Partners), Real Estate (managed by Centum Real Estate), and Marketable Securities (managed by Nabo Capital). The company also holds significant portfolio company investments including Longhorn Publishers (educational publishing across 7 African countries), Sidian Bank (SME-focused commercial banking), Greenblade Growers (herb exports), Tribus TSG (security services), and Akiira Geothermal (85% stake in geothermal power). The flagship real estate asset is the Two Rivers Development, home to the TRIFIC Special Economic Zone which recently launched a Sh5bn Green USD-Yield I-REIT. The company targets 20% minimum return on equity through its portfolio focus strategy (Centum 4.0).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nabo Capital: Licensed fund managers managing Centum's QPE strategy and third-party funds, focusing on equity, money markets and fixed income portfolios
• Centum Real Estate
• Centum Capital Partners
• TRIFIC SEZ
• Longhorn Publishers

Products and services

• TRIFIC Green USD-Yield I-REIT A Sh5 billion Green, USD-Yield Income Real Estate Investment Trust (I-REIT) operated within the Two Rivers Special Economic Zone, offering investors USD-denominated returns from income-generating real estate assets at Kenya's first private business-services SEZ.
• Nabo Capital Asset Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved GCR A+ credit rating with stable outlook
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Broll Property GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Broll Property Group to establish Broll East Africa, with Centum holding a 30% stake. Broll provides property management and valuation services.
• Investbridge CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDubai-based investment bank partner in consortium to setup 20 schools in Sub-Saharan Africa with SABIS school operator.
• SABISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner with Investbridge Capital and Centum for establishing 20 schools across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jubilee Holdings Limited: Jubilee Holdings is a Kenyan-listed pan-African insurance and investment group operating across East Africa. Its combination of insurance premiums, asset management, and real estate investments closely mirrors Centum's diversified investment holding model.
• Actis: Actis is a leading emerging markets private equity firm with significant Africa real estate and infrastructure investment focus. Its strategy of deploying institutional capital into African real estate, energy, and businesses closely parallels Centum Capital Partners and Centum Real Estate.
• ICEA Lion Group: ICEA Lion is a Kenyan financial services conglomerate offering insurance, asset management, and investment services. Its diversified East African footprint and asset management focus (Lion Asset Management) make it a close comparable to Centum's Nabo Capital subsidiary.
• Development Partners International (DPI): DPI is a private equity firm focused on Africa with multi-billion dollar fund vehicles. Its pan-African PE strategy targeting companies with USD 5M+ EBITDA parallels Centum Capital Partners' investment criteria and approach.
• African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM): AIIM is a dedicated African infrastructure private equity manager with pan-African real assets exposure. Its institutional infrastructure fund management model and project pipeline overlap with Centum's Akiira Geothermal and large-scale development activities.
• Britam Holdings PLC: Britam is a leading East African diversified financial services group listed on the NSE, with operations across insurance, asset management, and real estate. As a Kenyan-listed investment holding with similar asset management and real estate exposure, it is the most direct regional comparable to Centum.

Regional players

• Broll Property Group: Broll is a pan-African commercial property services and investment group, with Centum holding a 30% stake in Broll East Africa. Its property management, valuation, and brokerage services for institutional real estate owners complement Centum's development-focused model.

Broad incumbents

• Sanlam Investments: Sanlam is a major pan-African financial services group with significant asset management operations across the continent. Its scale, multi-country presence, and broad product portfolio make it a comparable institutional asset manager to Nabo Capital's ambitions.
• Old Mutual Investment Group: Old Mutual is a major African investment and asset manager with operations across East Africa including a KES 6.4B investment in Centum's Two Rivers. Its fund management, real estate investment, and institutional capital deployment overlap with Centum's three-pillar structure.
• Brait PLC: Brait is a listed investment holding company (formerly South African-listed) with a portfolio of consumer-facing businesses across multiple geographies. Its model of operating as a publicly listed investment company with operating subsidiaries is structurally similar to Centum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CentumInvestments
• Facebookfacebook.com/centum-investments-coltd-kenya-nairobi-587125054733602
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centum-investment-company-limited
• Xx.com/centum_inv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A3 records

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Centum