Murat Ali Serteki • 2ndPremium • 2ndAssistra Solutions, Uganda, Founder | Afrisoft, Turkey, Founder | Technotown, Poland, Int.Trade Specialist | Supervisory Recreation Specialist, USAF | assistrasolutions.comAssistra Solutions, Uganda, Founder | Afrisoft, Turkey, Founder | Technotown, Poland, Int.Trade Specialist | Supervisory Recreation Specialist, USAF | assistrasolutions.com
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The $97 Billion Shift: Who is Investing Where in Africa Right Now?
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Africa hit a record high of $97 billion in 2024 (up 75% YoY). But the “who” and “where” are shifting dramatically.
It’s no longer just about resources; it’s about infrastructure, fintech, and green energy.
The Country-by-Country Breakdown
– 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates (The New Heavyweight)
Focus: Ports, Logistics, Renewable Energy, Tourism.
Top Destination: Egypt (The $35B Ras El-Hekma deal was the primary driver of Africa’s 2024 FDI surge).
Key Spots: Mauritania ($34B green hydrogen pledge), South Africa, and Tanzania (DP World port concessions).
Trend: The UAE is now the 4th largest global investor in Africa, prioritizing tangible infrastructure and food security.
– 🇨🇳 China (The Strategic Pivot)
Focus: Diversifying from mega-infrastructure to “Small & Beautiful” projects (Pharma, Green Tech, ICT).
Top Destinations: South Africa, Mozambique, Niger, Algeria, and Mauritius.
Key Spots: Angola (Debt-to-resource models), Ethiopia (Manufacturing/Industrial Parks).
Trend: While loan volumes have cooled, Chinese private sector FDI is rising in manufacturing and processing.
– 🇫🇷 France (The Francophone Stronghold)
Focus: Energy, Retail, Banking, Telecommunications.
Top Destinations: Senegal, Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), Cameroon.
Key Spot: Angola (TotalEnergies remains a massive player here despite the language difference).
Trend: While facing political headwinds in the Sahel, French investment remains the backbone of the West African commercial ecosystem.
– 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (The Financial Anchor)
Focus: Financial Services, Mining, Green Energy.
Top Destination: South Africa (The UK remains the largest stock holder of FDI in SA).
Key Spots: Kenya (Agri-tech and Fintech), Nigeria.
Trend: Post-Brexit, the UK is aggressively pushing “mutually beneficial” partnerships, focusing heavily on services and clean finance.
– 🇺🇸 United States (The Tech & Services Lead)
Focus: Technology, Services, Automotive.
Top Destinations: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt.
Trend: The US is playing catch-up on infrastructure but dominates in tech ecosystem support and service-sector FDI.
– 🇹🇷 Turkey (The Job Creator)
Focus: Construction, Textiles, Manufacturing.
Top Destinations: Senegal, Somalia, Ethiopia, Libya.
Insight: Turkey consistently ranks in the Top 5 for job creation per project in Africa, focusing on labor-intensive industries rather than just capital-intensive resource extraction.
The Insight: The narrative has moved beyond “East vs. West.” We are seeing a “Gulf Rush” (UAE/Saudi) competing with Asian manufacturing and European services. For African businesses, this means more options for capital—if the policy framework is right.
Which partnership do you think is delivering the most tangible value on the ground?
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