Deals to Dollars: Navigating Successful Private Equity Exits in Africa

Unlocking Private Equity Success in Africa: From Deals to Dollars

Africa’s private equity (PE) landscape is evolving rapidly—but investors continue to face challenges around exits, liquidity, and market volatility. In Deals to Dollars, BCG provides an in-depth exploration of successful PE exits across the continent, drawing on proprietary data from over 380 deals and interviews with leading investors.

This insights piece identifies four main transactions, and IPOs—and outlines how firms can strategically position assets to attract the right buyers. It highlights the sectors with the highest exit activity, including Mining, Industrials, Financial Services, and Food & Agriculture, and offers practical case studies that showcase real outcomes, value creation strategies, and exit performance.

With exit windows often unpredictable, BCG emphasizes the importance of early buyer identification, maintaining control, and building exit readiness from day one. While IPOs remain limited due to weak local exchanges, targeted strategies in trade sales and secondary exits are showing increasing promise.

For firms seeking returns in African markets, this piece offers actionable insights on navigating complexity and maximizing value. Whether you’re an LP, GP, or founder, this is a must-read guide for understanding what it takes to exit well in Africa today.