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Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) Capital Markets and Societe Generale Côte d’Ivoire acted as Co-Lead Arrangers

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Mauritius Commercial Bank

The acquirer is a newly incorporated Mauritius domiciled investment vehicle, jointly owned by Jean-Luc Konan, founder of Groupe COFINA, and Mohamed Al Bahar, the Caterpillar dealership in five countries in the Arabian Gulf

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, November 23, 2022/APO Group/ — 

MCB Capital Markets (“MCBCM”), a subsidiary of MCB Group (https://www.MCB.mu), and Societe Generale Côte d’Ivoire (“SGCI”) through its Structured Finance Group for Sub-Saharan Africa (“SFG AFS”) are pleased to announce that they acted as Co-Lead Arrangers in raising approximately EUR 135 million to finance the acquisition of JA Delmas (“JAD”), the exclusive dealer for Caterpillar in francophone West Africa. The Delmas family has held the representation for this iconic brand, the world’s leading manufacturer of yellow metal machinery, for nearly a century.

This successful debt raise attests to the depth of MCB Group’s capabilities, including acting as Co-Lead Arranger, Security Agent, Facility Agent, Accounts Bank and largest Lender on the transaction. It also reflects the robustness of the Mauritian International Financial Centre as a platform to structure and fund significant deals in Africa.

The transaction also bears testimony to the expertise of Societe Generale Group in West Africa and echoes its strengths in delivering strategic financing solutions for regional champions, with SGCI acting as Co-Lead Arranger and second largest Lender.

JAD operates in 11 countries with a turnover of approximately EUR 700 million and has over 2,000 employees

The acquirer is a newly incorporated Mauritius domiciled investment vehicle, jointly owned by Jean-Luc Konan, founder of Groupe COFINA (financial institution in West & Central Africa ), and Mohamed Al Bahar (“MAB”), the Caterpillar dealership in five countries in the Arabian Gulf.

JAD operates in 11 countries with a turnover of approximately EUR 700 million and has over 2,000 employees. Following this transaction, the business will embark on an accelerated growth path led by its current Chief Executive and other senior managers, who will remain with the business. Through Groupe COFINA, Jean-Luc Konan, the new Dealer Principal, and Chairman will extend the group’s reach in francophone West Africa while MAB will play a key role as technical partner.

Jean-Luc Konan, founder and Chief Executive of Groupe COFINA, commented: “We made the right choice in appointing MCBCM and SGCI as Co-Lead Arrangers. Their teams worked through and led this transaction to completion with tenacity, expertise, and professionalism.”

Rony Lam, Chief Executive of MCB Capital Markets, commented: “I wish to thank Jean-Luc for his trust in such an important transaction for both himself and his partners. JA Delmas has a rich history in West Africa and we are proud to have played a part at this junction. Our team, supported by MCB Group’s broad range of capabilities, has once again displayed its ability to execute cross-border transactions, which require solid technical skills and rigorous transaction management.”

Kane Mohamed El Fadel, Managing Director, Regional Head of Capital Markets & Structured Finance Sub-Saharan Africa, commented: “This acquisition financing is a perfect illustration of Societe Generale Group’s strong footprint in Africa. In order to accompany our clients, we have built a strong team comprising of international and local experts with a combination of sector knowledge, technical expertise, structuring and execution capabilities to deliver optimal solutions.”

Herbert Smith Freehills advised the consortium of lenders while Baubigeat Zeller, Asafo & Co and Allen & Overy provided legal advice to the borrower. Eponyme Partners, a Paris-based advisory firm, acted as M&A adviser to the buyer.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd (MCB).

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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Business

ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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