The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) and PwC are delighted to launch the first report analysingexits of African private equity (PE) portfolio companies on the global capital markets. This report provides a historic analysis of PE-backed initial public offerings (IPOs) of African portfolio companies, including companies with significant operations in Africa, between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2017. We have examined a number of metrics including the volume and value of PE-backed versus non-PE-backed IPOs, pricing, and performance. While the capital markets have been an important exit route for private equity houses around the globe, we have noted that PE exits via an IPO in Africa have tracked below other markets. We hope this document begins a dialogue around measures to be taken to further drive African PE exits on domestic or international exchanges.

This special report presents an exploration of the effects of currency volatility and political uncertainty on the African private equity industry, and provides insights into the strategies adopted by fund managers active on the continent to address the risks and capture the opportunities involved. It features views and experiences collected through a survey and interviews conducted with industry practitioners.