MiDA Advisors Special Newsletter
March 2020
MiDA's journey
2017-2019
  • 1 Billion USD mobilized
  • 3 delegation trips to Africa (Pictures)
  • 3 Africa and Emerging Markets Summits
  • 12 Industry Partners
  • Established strong relationship with USAID, OPIC/DFIC, World Bank, AfDB, and the UN.
  • Played pivotal role in the creation of Kenyan Pension Fund Consortium.
  • Published a study on Pension Fund Regulatory Frame works in Africa and provided suggestions.
  • Co-published a Mercer/MiDA report on African infrastructure investments opportunities (read more)
  • Featured in leading media outlets such as Pension&Investment, Brink news, etc
Investments Mobilized

  • Alameda County Employees Retirement Board (ACERA) $30 million
  • Chicago Public School Teachers Pension & Retirement Fund (CTPF) $20 Million
  •  Prudential $180 million
  • Casey Family Programs - $50 million
  • The City and Country of San Francisco Employees Retirement System - $100 million
NASP-USAID
The MiDA Initiative was a USAID/NASP Partnership to educate US institutional investors on Africa markets. This initiative was funded by a three year grant to NASP.
The Africa Institutional Investors Advisory Council
The Advisory Council has played a critical role in guiding and supporting the MiDA initiative for the past three years. The successful milestones the initiative accomplished were due to the strong leadership and advise of the council led by Mr. Obie McKenzie (Chair 2017-18) and Mr. Lee Stephens (Chair 2019-20).
MiDA Advisors in 2020
MiDA Advisors is now a USAID Implementing Partner for the USAID INVEST Project


MiDA Advisors will implement DAI-INVEST project funded by USAID in 2020.
 
USAID INVEST unlocks the power of private capital to drive inclusive growth in countries where USAID works. Increasingly, private investors and businesses are looking to emerging and frontier markets for better returns and new market opportunities. However, these investors often face high transaction costs and lack the information they need. In some cases, investors encounter poor risk-reward ratios that make investment unattractive. INVEST addresses these challenges and facilitates work between USAID and the investment community.
 
INVEST partners with entities like MiDA Advisors to implement these objectives focused on investors’ education and transaction support.
 
Read more about INVEST here
 
DAI-INVEST Project
MiDA Advisors has been contracted to support Prosper Africa, a U.S. Government initiative that unlocks opportunities to do business in Africa, benefiting companies, investors and workers in both Africa and the United States.
 
The key objectives in 2020 are:
 
  • Investor exposure and education on investments opportunities in Africa
  • Business relationship development
  • Transaction advisory to investors seeking support and resources for specific transactions
  • Partnerships and assistance to local pension funds in Africa
MiDA Advisors' Objectives for 2020
  • Convening and Exposure
  • Relationship-Building and Roadshows
  • Research
  • Pipeline Facilitation
Important Dates in 2020


  • Roadshow to South Africa (SAVCA): Feb 21 - 28, 2020
  • Delegation Trip to East Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya): March 21 - 29, 2020
  • Roadshow to Morocco and Ghana: June 4 - 10, 2020
  • Africa and Emerging Markets Summit* Chicago: June 15-17, 2020
  • Delegation Trip to South Africa and Mozambique Nov 2020
* AEMS is part of NASP Annual Pension and Financial Services Conference
If you are interested in learning more about these events please contact us at [email protected]
Spotlight
MiDA Advisors supports the establishment of the African Women Leadership Fund as a primary adviser to the United Nations-Standard Bank Group initiative to launch the fund.
The ground-breaking partnership, formally signed on February 8, 2020 in Addis Ababa between the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (ECA) and Standard Bank Group, will be transformational in breaking down structural barriers to inclusive investing in Africa

Over $20 million was raised for the fund on the signing day that has a current goal of $100 million . President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was instrumental in leading the way, pledging $500,000. Senegal’s President Macky Sall committed $500,000. S outh African President Cyril Ramaphosa also pledged to contribute to the fund. The private sector participants pledged the rest.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada pledged $10 million to the African Union to boost gender parity. Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg pledged $8 million to AU initiatives. A portion of these resources will be earmarked for the women’s initiative.
Among the world leaders who witnessed the official launch of this innovative impact investment fund were UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres , African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde. Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was also in attendance, as were a number of former African heads of state.

The launch of the African Women Leadership Fund (AWLF) will provide capital to both first time and experienced fund managers
Upper left: African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat ; upper right: UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres ; lower left: Sola David-Borha, Chief Executive of Africa Regions at Standard Bank Group ; lower right: Dr. Vera Songwe, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ECA
Advisory Council Member Highlight
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MiDA would like to congratulate Advisory Council member, Mr. Obie McKenzie, Vice Chairman of Cordiant capital. Cordiant has been selected to lead infrastructure private equity fund focused on energy, transportation and telecoms in West Africa

Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (“BOAD”) has partnered with Cordiant Capital Inc. in the launch of a pair of infrastructure private equity funds focused on the energy, transportation and telecommunications sectors in the member states of the West African Monetary Union (“WAEMU”).  

The two funds designed and seeded by BOAD are the Infrastructure Preparation Fund (“Prep Fund”) and an Infrastructure Equity Fund (“Infrastructure Fund”). BOAD’s initial capital commitments are, respectively, CFA 12 billion (~EUR 18 million) and CFA 26.2 billion (~EUR 40 million). Both Funds will be managed by Cordiant, which will establish a local office in the Region to coordinate the two Funds’ investment activities.
MiDA Advisors