African Rivers Fund IV

Subsidy : November 2025

BIO has granted EUR 302,089.00 of technical assistance to African Rivers Fund IV, a sector-agnostic investment fund focused on SMEs located mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Angola and Zambia.

Amount

$ 350,000.00

Type of investment

Subsidy

Beneficiary locations

Africa: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Zambia

Investment field

Investment Companies & Funds

Activity

KK.64.300 SME Fund

Organisation

African Rivers Fund IV

Website

https://www.xsmlcapital.com/

Domicile

Mauritius

More investments in

African Rivers Fund IV

Equity $ 10,000,000.00 (2024)

African Rivers Fund IV is the 4th private equity fund launched by XSLM. The fund will largely pursue the same investment strategy as its predecessor funds, in which BIO has invested, by providing medium- to long-term financing to SMEs that are mainly located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Angola, and Zambia.

ARF IV will invest through a mix of USD-denominated debt and mezzanine instruments, and selective minority equity stakes. The manager is planning around 50 investments, with an average ticket size between USD 2-3 M.

Technical assistance

The objective of the TAF is to build the capacity of small, medium, and early-stage companies in frontier markets through technical assistance projects mainly focused on E&S standards, financial and accounting training, operational and marketing consulting, and other business-critical areas. This support will address common gaps faced by ARF IV investees that are not typically met by commercial financing, e.g :

• Accounting and financial training will lead to more timely and accurate reporting, supported by robust financial systems, which will empower companies’ management teams with the data needed for better decision-making, improved margin control, and audit preparedness;

• Strengthened governance, strategic planning, and E&S training will result in companies’ alignment with investors’ requirements and global best practices;

• Development and implementation of Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS) will ensure companies’ E&S performance upgrade, benefitting both investee companies and their employees.