Conversations around African private equity (PE) have long focused on the art of raising and deploying capital. But as the continent’s PE market matures, attention is shifting to the phase that ultimately defines success: the exit. In a global PE climate marked by caution, and within local markets grappling with macroeconomic volatility, the ability to successfully divest assets has become the real litmus test for fund performance and investor confidence in Africa.
While trade sales remain the dominant path, success today increasingly depends on pragmatic approaches such as early partial exits, proactive buyer alignment and disciplined execution, all essential for navigating market constraints, unlocking value and ensuring liquidity in an uneven and maturing investment landscape.
Geographically, the African PE exit landscape is highly concentrated. South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco collectively account for over 50% of PE-related exits. While the regional distribution of exits was fairly even across these
