05 · What we do
We create investment vehicles for specific projects and opportunities across Africa.
Finding the projects, businesses and assets where private capital can make a material difference to what gets built.
Creating the vehicle that fits the opportunity — its risk, its horizon, and the investors appropriate to both.
Bringing private capital together with the businesses, assets and initiatives that can carry the opportunity through.
Areas of focus
Twelve areas, listed as a register. Select one to read Cushland's orientation to it.
Africa's financial systems remain significantly underdeveloped relative to the size and needs of its economies, while digital finance is opening up new ways of providing financial services. Cushland creates and structures investment vehicles to raise private capital for opportunities across financial services, from established businesses and infrastructure to new models capable of expanding financial access and deepening Africa's financial markets.
Africa's infrastructure deficit is one of the greatest constraints on the continent's development and one of its largest pools of long-term investment opportunity. The African Development Bank estimates that Africa faces an annual infrastructure financing gap of approximately $402 billion by 2030. Cushland structures and raises capital for infrastructure opportunities across the public and private sectors, including projects and businesses that contribute to the development of Africa's transport, logistics, real estate and productive infrastructure.
Africa's young and increasingly connected population is creating a rapidly expanding market for entertainment, media and cultural content, while African creators are increasingly reaching audiences both on the continent and around the world. Cushland creates investment vehicles around businesses, platforms, intellectual property and other opportunities that can participate in the development of Africa's increasingly important media and cultural economies.
Reliable and affordable energy is fundamental to Africa's economic development, yet around 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity. At the same time, industrialisation, urbanisation and digitalisation will require substantially greater energy supply. Cushland structures and raises capital for opportunities across the energy value chain, including conventional energy, power generation, energy infrastructure and emerging sources of energy.
Africa's rapidly growing cities, agricultural systems and industries will require significantly greater access to reliable water supply, treatment and distribution. Cushland creates investment vehicles to finance opportunities in water infrastructure, resource management, treatment and associated technologies that can support the development of African economies and communities.
Africa possesses significant mineral resources, including many of the minerals that will become increasingly important to energy, advanced manufacturing, technology and global reindustrialisation. Cushland structures and raises capital for opportunities across exploration, extraction, processing and the development of associated value chains, with the aim of supporting greater value creation from Africa's natural resources.
Africa possesses enormous agricultural potential, yet productivity, processing, logistics, finance and market access remain significant constraints. Cushland creates investment vehicles around opportunities across agricultural production, food processing, logistics and associated businesses, supporting the development of more productive and integrated African food systems.
Africa's transformation cannot end with the extraction of resources or production of primary commodities. The greater opportunity lies in building the industries that transform those resources into increasingly sophisticated products, components, technologies and services. Cushland structures and raises capital for businesses, projects and industrial opportunities that can contribute to this movement up the value chain and expand productive capacity on the continent.
Digital infrastructure is becoming foundational economic infrastructure, connecting people, businesses and institutions while enabling entirely new markets and business models. Mobile technologies and services contributed approximately $240 billion to Africa's economy in 2025. Cushland creates investment vehicles for opportunities across communications infrastructure, internet businesses, digital services and emerging technologies that can contribute to Africa's expanding digital economy.
Africa possesses extraordinary natural, cultural and historical assets, yet much of the economic value that could be generated from them remains unrealised. Cushland structures and raises capital for businesses, assets and projects that can contribute to the development of Africa's tourism, hospitality and leisure economies and enable the continent to capture more value from its cultural and natural capital.
Africa's demographics are creating one of the world's most significant emerging consumer markets, with rising incomes, urbanisation and digital connectivity changing both what Africans consume and how products reach them. Cushland creates investment vehicles around retail, consumer, distribution and commerce opportunities capable of serving Africa's expanding markets and connecting African businesses with African consumers.
We believe that financial capital alone cannot build enduring economies and institutions. Africa also needs the trust, integrity, moral conviction and shared purpose that allow people and institutions to work together over the long term. Cushland therefore considers the cultivation of spiritual capital part of its broader mission alongside the mobilisation of financial capital.
