What AfricaGlobal Schaffer does

AfricaGlobal Schaffer (AfGS) is a Washington, DC-headquartered professional services firm specializing in project development, financing advisory, and implementation for agribusiness, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects across African emerging and frontier markets. The firm traces its origins to 1970 as Schaffer & Associates International, was rebranded to AfricaGlobal Schaffer in 2015, and reports 900+ projects delivered across 52 African countries over a 50+ year operating history. Service lines span Agribusiness/Energy/Infrastructure development, Project Finance, Trade and Investment facilitation, and Specialized Services including feasibility studies and capital sourcing. A secondary office is maintained in Baton Rouge, LA, and the firm operates the West Africa LNG Group as a dedicated special-purpose vehicle.

The business model is a relationship-driven advisory and intermediation model: revenue is generated from advisory fees, project development fees, and transaction-related commissions tied to large infrastructure and energy mandates. Customers are African sovereign governments (Ethiopia, Sudan, Mali, Angola, Guinea), large private corporations (notably Dangote Industries), and development finance institutions (African Development Bank, World Bank, US DFC, EXIM Bank). Marquee 2023 engagements include a $2 billion Angola Solar partnership with Sun Africa backed by a $900 million U.S. EXIM Bank loan, and a $1.5 billion Nigeria Solar Generation EPC contract. The firm was designated a G7 flagship project partner in 2023, and has received the U.S. Secretary of State Award and the CCA Citizenship Award.

The core team numbers 11-50 professionals, supplemented by in-country partners and a network of multilateral-bank and government relationships. Leadership comprises Dr. Mima Nedelcovych (Founder/Chairman, former U.S. Executive Director to the African Development Bank), Adam Cortese (CEO), Marian Schaffer (COO), and Geralyn Contini (CFO). Competitive positioning rests on diplomatic and DFI access, multi-decade country-level institutional knowledge, and the ability to mobilize export-credit and concessional financing at scale for African sovereign clients.

Name

AfricaGlobal Schaffer

Legal name

AfricaGlobal Schaffer

Website

https://africaglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AfricaGlobal Schaffer is a Washington, DC-based professional services firm providing project development, financing advisory, and implementation for agribusiness, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects across 52 African countries, serving African governments, large corporates, and development finance institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Project Development and Infrastructure Advisory

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB), Commissioning, Testing & Field Services for Interconnection (Energization, Acceptance Tests) (EUAMAIAJ)

Keywords

• Project development consulting
• Infrastructure advisory services
• Development finance advisory
• Agribusiness project consulting
• Renewable energy advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Travel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project Development & Financing Advisory: AfricaGlobal Schaffer generates revenue through providing comprehensive consulting services for project development, financing, and implementation across the project lifecycle. Services include commercial diplomacy, financing arrangements, project management, and technical advisory for agribusiness, energy, and infrastructure projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AfricaGlobal Schaffer is a professional services firm providing comprehensive project development, financing, and implementation advisory across agribusiness, renewable energy, and infrastructure sectors in African emerging and frontier markets. Services span the full project lifecycle including planning, commercial diplomacy, financing arrangements, project management, implementation, operations, and distribution for governments and private corporations.

Product overview

AfricaGlobal Schaffer is a professional services firm (not a software/product company) providing comprehensive advisory and project development services. The company operates across four interconnected service lines: (1) Agribusiness, Energy & Infrastructure Services covering project development, financing, and implementation for sugar factories, solar plants, LNG terminals, and ports; (2) Finance Services facilitating connections with development finance institutions; (3) Trade & Investment Services for market access and investment promotion; and (4) Specialized Services including government relations, commercial diplomacy, due diligence, and market intelligence. The firm has delivered over 900 projects across 52 African countries, serving governments and corporate clients in sectors including sugar production, renewable energy, oil and gas, and transportation infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agribusiness, Energy & Infrastructure Services Project development and advisory services for agribusiness, renewable energy, and infrastructure sectors across Africa, covering project identification, assessment, financing, implementation, and operations management for governments and corporate clients.
• Finance Services Financial advisory services connecting clients with commercial banks, multilateral banks, export credit agencies, and development finance institutions to arrange and package project financing.
• Trade & Investment Services Trade and investment promotion services including sector analysis, market research, match-making programs, investor presentations, and identification of importers and investors for clients entering African markets.
• Specialized Services Tailored advisory services including political risk advisory, commercial diplomacy, due diligence, and market intelligence for projects in African emerging and frontier markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 900+ projects completed across 52 African countries in over 50 years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sun AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Sun Africa is the largest US renewable energy company operating in Africa with a focus on solar PV technology. AfGS partners with Sun Africa on major solar projects including Angola Utility Solar and Mini-Grids ($2 billion project generating 500+MW) and Nigeria solar generation ($1.5B EPC contract with Government of Nigeria). Sun Africa has been named a flagship partner in the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.
• Bechtel CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023AfricaGlobal Schaffer, along with Bechtel Corporation and Export Trading Group's Empowering Farmers Foundation, partners with USAID and their private sector matching parties to increase food security in Zambia. Together, the partnership will build a series of Smart Integrated District Aggregation Centers in Zambia over 2 years to increase supply and quality of maize.
• Export Trading Group (ETG) - Empowering Farmers FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ETG's Empowering Farmers Foundation and Bechtel Corporation to build Smart Integrated District Aggregation Centers in Zambia, increasing food supply and reducing post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers.
• Port of HoustonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfGS partnered with Port of Houston on the Nigerian Dry Port Development project for Lagos Port Authority, focusing on inland ports development.
• West Africa LNG GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWest Africa LNG Group is a special purpose entity established by AfGS and its strategic partners to develop a comprehensive LNG provision and distribution network in the Republic of Guinea, including LNG receiving terminal, storage tanks, regassification units, and distribution infrastructure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech: Large engineering and consulting firm with international development practice including renewable energy - comparable technical advisory capabilities on power and infrastructure but at much larger scale.
• DAI: Global development consultancy implementing donor-funded programs across multiple sectors in Africa - operates at much larger scale than AfGS but in directly overlapping development advisory and capacity-building services.
• McKinsey Africa: McKinsey's Africa practice serves African governments and corporations on strategy and large-scale transformation projects - directly competes for the same government mandates as AfGS but with much deeper bench and broader capabilities.
• Cardno: International development and infrastructure consulting firm - comparable in infrastructure and development focus but operates at significantly larger scale and across more geographies.
• Palladium: International development consultancy and impact investor with active Africa practice - comparable in development mandate and Africa focus but broader in scale, capital deployment, and service lines.
• Chemonics International: Large USAID implementing partner and international development firm with deep Africa presence - broader portfolio but operating in directly adjacent development advisory and project implementation space serving similar government and donor clients.
• Africa Finance Corporation: Pan-African multilateral development finance institution that invests directly in infrastructure across the continent - comparable in mandate and Africa focus but operates as a capital provider rather than an advisor.

Emerging players

• Africa Practice: Africa-focused advisory firm with communications, government affairs, and strategy practices serving corporates and investors across the continent - comparable Africa focus but smaller scale and different service mix.

Direct peers

• Dalberg Global Development Advisors: Mission-driven management consultancy delivering strategy, policy, and investment advisory to governments, multilaterals, and foundations across emerging markets - directly comparable to AfGS in sector focus, mission orientation, and engagement model, though with broader geographic and sector coverage.
• Adam Smith International: Boutique international development consultancy advising governments and donors on policy reform, economic development, and infrastructure - very similar consulting model to AfGS with comparable Africa exposure and public-sector mandate focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEhPdYeL1MECUvJdT_sL8Ew

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about AfricaGlobal Schaffer