Aquila Leasing

Debt : March 2015

Aquila Leasing Ltd is a company specialized in equipment leasing for the Nigerian market. It started its operations in mid 2005 as a non bank financial institution providing financial leasing solutions to SMEs and individuals.

Amount

€ 4,000,000.00

Type of investment

Debt

Development impacts

Local economic growth
Private sector consolidation/innovation

Beneficiary locations

Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria

Investment field

Financial Institutions

Activity

Leasing

In December 2007, Africinvest (through two PE funds, Africinvest I – AFI - and Africinvest Financial Services – AFS-) became a minority shareholder of the structure through a capital injection. In 2010, Nigeria was hit by a crisis of its banking system with important negative impacts on its economy. Despite these difficult times, Aquila managed to run its business adequately.

Aquila now ranks among Nigeria’s top independent lease operators with two main business lines, operating lease/fleet management for corporate clients and finance lease for MSMEs and individual clients. Aquila and some other local actors can be considered as the sole entities providing mid-term funding to MSMEs through leasing contracts.

Development impacts

Local economic growth
Credit provision to SMEs
Private sector consolidation/innovation
Market structuring effects: expansion of financial services to underserved client segments