Raising large amounts of debt or equity capital to finance new infrastructure projects is a formidable undertaking in sub-Saharan Africa, where the need is greatest, and the ability to service debt or guarantee returns over time can be uncertain. But the challenge is by no means as difficult as many investors think.
If you invested in African property last year, you could have made an excellent return, but only if you knew where to put your money. Residential property values in Africa rose by 8% on average in 2011. There is a shortage of high quality office space in many capitals, while Luanda and Lagos are already among the most expensive cities in the world in which to rent space.
African banking groups are expanding their operations across the continent at an unprecedented pace. The World Bank’s Makaio Witte investigates how regional banks should overhaul existing arrangements for cross-border supervision
