AFIF 2015 to showcase healthcare investments for SMEs
Growing investment landscape in the healthcare sector has necessitated the showcase of oppportunities at the Africa Finance and Investment Forum (AFIF 2015) holding November in South Africa to operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) participating at the event.
Therefore, Africa’s healthcare sector will be brought to the fore during the forum with BlueCloud Healthcare and Pfizer Inc overseeing an entire session dedicated to health and investment opportunities for SMEs.
Speaking in the run up to AFIF2015. Steven Adjei, founding partner and managing director, BlueCloud Healthcare stated, “Investment in the healthcare sector has been overlooked by many investors on the continent. However, it is one of the fastest growing sectors in Africa at seven percent in from 2002 – 2013, growing faster than real estate (5.9percent), manufacturing (4.5percent) wholesale and retail (6.8percent) and even agriculture (5.5percent).” Adjei added, “It is obvious where the next hotspot for healthcare investment will be in the next 10 years.”
AFIF 2015, with theme- ‘Access to Finance & Entrepreneurship’, will also put emphasis on what is termed the ‘Missing Middle’, which is the lack of access to finance by small and medium enterprises in developing countries.
According to Steven Adjei. this ‘missing middle syndrome’ is one of the primary reasons BlueCloud decided to work with EMRC, the lead organiser of the event, for this year conference. Adjei stated, “To enable increased investment in this space, BlueCloud is currently partnering with a group called Money Physicians that will be represented at this conference. Money Physicians are raising a funding round of $100 million to release much needed funds to funding investments in the healthcare sector. “The missing middle healthcare sector holds much promise, for this is where exponential growth is likely to take place with minimum effort after a few years,” Adjei adds.
Bill Burkoth, an executive director of Pfizer Ventures will also spotlight the exciting and necessary investment opportunities for the healthcare sector alongside BlueCloud Healthcare during the plenary session dedicated to health at the event.
Ines Bastos, EMRC’s senior project manager explains, “Previously, the healthcare sector was thought of as an area limited to multi-million businesses. However, there is clearly room and massive opportunities for smaller sized companies as Africa’s middle class grows exponentially, bringing with it increased healthcare issues and therefore much needed solutions and investments.” Bastos adds, “We can no longer underestimate its potential for growth and the necessity to be inclusive to all sizes of businesses to spark this growth”
This year’s edition of AFIF organised by EMRC is in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB), German Development Finance Institution (DEG), Rabobank and in partnership with Old Mutual Investment Group, ECOWAS-TEN, Agri Academy (South Africa), Pfizer, BlueCloud (United Kingdom), ICD (Islamic Development Bank) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank.
With an expected 300 people from all over the world, the three-day event will see North & South policymakers, investors and private sector entrepreneurs discuss and find practical business solutions.
The forum brings to the table financiers who are looking to find real projects, investment opportunities and long-term partnerships. There is a spirit to get things done which is demonstrated through the B2B sessions, tailor-made one-on-one sessions, which are organised throughout the forum. A pre-forum training workshop, will also offer participants professional coaching on how to set up a business plan and target the appropriate funding.
AFIF has a double objective: to strengthen the financial capacities of Africa’s private sector and to promote the creation of new partnerships through the encouragement of joint projects and trade relations North-South and South-South.
OLUYINKA ALAWODE