Sahel Capital

Sahel Capital was established by individuals who are passionate about unlocking the potential of the agriculture and nutrition landscape in West Africa and creating strong agricultural sector-led economic growth within the region. In 2008, one of Sahel’s co-founders began to provide consulting and advisory services for a range of private, public and development organizations in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal. These experiences provided exposure to the gaps in the agricultural sector and deepened a desire to serve as a catalyst for positive change. The opportunities identified in the sector led two of Sahel’s co-founders to establish AACE Food Processing and Distribution Limited (“AACE Foods”) in November 2009. AACE Foods is an agro-processor located in south-west Nigeria that processes and sells a range of spices, seasonings, and nutritious food products. AACE Foods is currently run by a dedicated team of professionals, with oversight from an experienced board of directors The principals subsequently formally established and incorporated Sahel Capital Partners and Advisory Limited in late 2010, to focus on agriculture specific consulting engagements. The number, scope, and depth of the mandates increased over the course of the years as Sahel Capital demonstrated sectoral expertise. In 2013, Sahel Capital was selected to act as the fund manager for the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (“FAFIN”). The fund sponsors of FAFIN include the Nigerian government via the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the German government via KfW Development Bank, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority. During the course of 2013, Sahel Capital structured and developed the strategy of the fund, which then launched in 2014 with the sponsors acting as anchor investors in a $32.8 million First Close. During this period, Sahel Capital expanded both its consulting and private equity teams, and additional partners joined the firm. In late 2016, Sahel Capital separated its management consulting and private equity businesses, and Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers Ltd. was established. Sahel Capital Partners & Advisory Ltd (“SCPAL”) drives all aspects of Sahel’s consulting business, which engages with key clients to provide crop value chain analysis, strategic consulting, public policy development, and implementation support for agricultural development projects. The team at SCPAL has sectoral expertise across a range of value chains and includes both Lagos based professionals and individuals in the field in key selected Nigerian communities. Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers Ltd. (“SCAML”) houses Sahel’s private equity team, which includes both investment execution and operating professionals that work closely with FAFIN portfolio companies. The team at SCAML has extensive investment structuring and hands-on operating experience within the agricultural sector. In June 2017, SCAML had the final close of its maiden Fund at $65.9 million with additional capital raised from African Development Bank (AfDB), CDC Group, Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) In February 2018, Sahel Capital Partners & Advisory Limited changed its name to Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited to fully embrace its mandate as a consulting company, and its focus on the agriculture and nutrition landscapes.