Our rationale: placing the lens where it matters
At CAMPEA, we recognize that governance is not just a compliance requirement but a cornerstone of sustainable private capital investing. Our mission is to close the governance gap in Central Africa by equipping fund managers, portfolio companies, and policymakers with the tools and knowledge to meet international standards. Through training programs for boards and executives, advocacy for regulatory reforms, and the promotion of ESG and impact frameworks, CAMPEA actively works to strengthen transparency, accountability, and investor confidence in the region. By fostering dialogue between local operators and global limited partners, we ensure that capital entering Central Africa is not only catalytic but also safeguarded by best-in-class governance practices that unlock long-term value.
Areas of focus
Mobilizing Private Capital for Growth
CAMPEA aims to accelerate the flow of capital into Central Africa, unlocking underutilized opportunities across frontier economies, by building investor confidence and advocating for policies that strengthen sound corporate governance.
Empowering Local Fund Managers
CAMPEA invests in capacity-building for local GPs, helping them scale operations, access global best practices, and connect with institutional investors. Through training, technical support, and visibility, the association equips African fund managers to compete on equal footing with global players.
Strengthening Market Credibility
As the regional industry body, CAMPEA raises standards of transparency, governance, and compliance across the Central African private capital ecosystem. This credibility is essential to attract international LPs and GPs, enabling greater participation in local markets and ensuring long-term institutional trust.
Catalyzing Cross-Border Connectivity
Central Africa’s investment opportunities are strengthened by regional integration. CAMPEA serves as a hub for cross-border partnerships, enabling investors to access diversified opportunities in sectors such as mining, energy, agribusiness, and digital infrastructure. This interconnected approach drives resilience and scalability.
Shaping Policy and Advocacy
CAMPEA is the voice of private capital in Central Africa. By engaging policymakers, regulators, and global institutions, the association shapes reforms and initiatives that make investment climates more attractive. This advocacy ensures that private capital continues to thrive as a driver of regional transformation
Advancing ESG and Impact Standards
We are a company that offers design and build services for you from initial sketches to the final construction.
Joining CAMPEA puts you at the heart of Central Africa’s private equity and venture capital ecosystem. Contribute to market development, participate in programmes and events that strengthen the ecosystem while influencing policy, and engage with high-level investors and stakeholders while building your professional network and advancing your expertise in private capital. Contact us at the main office or submit a business inquiry : office@campea.org
our approach
Uncovering Operational Setbacks to Capital Allocation in Central Africa
Corporate Governance and the Realities of Investing in Central Africa
Corporate governance sits at the heart of private equity and venture capital investing. Strong governance frameworks ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment of interests between fund managers, portfolio companies, and investors. In mature markets, governance structures are codified and standardized, giving investors confidence in financial disclosures, compliance practices, and risk oversight.
In Central Africa, the state of corporate governance is uneven. While regulatory reforms are underway in several jurisdictions, gaps remain in enforcement capacity, board independence, and standardized reporting. Many companies are still family-owned or closely held, which can create opacity in decision-making and limit the adoption of international governance standards. Limited availability of experienced independent directors and auditors further compounds these challenges.
From a fund manager’s perspective, this environment presents both risks and opportunities. Weak governance can create barriers to due diligence, increase reputational risks, and complicate exit strategies. At the same time, investors who actively embed governance structures—by professionalizing boards, strengthening internal controls, and introducing robust ESG frameworks—often unlock significant value. Stronger governance practices not only mitigate operational risks but also attract follow-on investors and strategic partners who require higher levels of accountability.
Ultimately, Central Africa’s long-term investment story will depend on bridging this governance gap. As more capital flows into the region, fund managers and industry associations like CAMPEA play a catalytic role in raising standards, advocating for policy reforms, and equipping local businesses with governance practices that align with global investors’ expectations. For limited partners and allocators, this dynamic underscores the importance of selecting fund managers with proven track records of instilling governance discipline at the portfolio level.
Through our organisation’s platform, our members are committed to conversations and initiatives that articulate and address direct investing and fund-level allocation bottlenecks, including the deployment of expertise and technical assistance or regulatory red tapes through the dissemination of their relevant experiences, some of which touching on the following areas:
Mobilizing Private Capital for Growth vs Regulatory and Policy Uncertainty
Fund managers often cite unpredictability in legal and regulatory frameworks as a key deterrent. Frequent changes in investment laws, inconsistent application of tax regimes, and bureaucratic hurdles can delay deal execution and erode investor confidence. The absence of harmonized cross-border investment frameworks further complicates capital deployment across the region.
Empowering Local Fund Managers
Central Africa’s capital markets remain relatively underdeveloped, limiting fund managers’ ability to exit investments through IPOs or secondary markets. This lack of liquidity constrains the creation of efficient exit strategies, making private equity less attractive to risk-sensitive LPs.
Strengthening Market Credibility
Currency convertibility and repatriation restrictions are persistent challenges. Exchange rate volatility and inflationary pressures can significantly impact fund performance and deter international LPs who require predictable returns.
Catalyzing Cross-Border Connectivity vs Infrastructure and Transaction Costs
Local counterparties, including SMEs and mid-market companies, often lack the governance structures, financial reporting standards, and compliance practices required by institutional investors. This necessitates heavy pre-investment due diligence and ongoing portfolio company capacity-building, adding to operational costs.
Shaping Policy and Advocacy
The high cost of doing business—stemming from weak transport networks, power shortages, and digital infrastructure gaps—can directly affect portfolio company performance. These inefficiencies also drive up fund managers’ operating expenses during the sourcing, monitoring, and value-creation phases of investment
Data Scarcity and Market Transparency
Reliable, standardized data on markets, companies, and deal activity remains scarce. Without robust benchmarks or comparative datasets, fund managers face challenges in pricing risk accurately and presenting compelling cases to LPs
CAMPEA members are committed to raising the bar on governance in Central Africa. For fund managers and development finance institutions, robust governance is non-negotiable. CAMPEA addresses this imperative by strengthening board capacity, embedding ESG and sustainability frameworks, and advocating for regulatory alignment across Central Africa. By bridging local realities with global standards, we help ensure that private capital is deployed responsibly, scaled efficiently, and positioned to deliver both competitive returns and meaningful development impact. By driving board-level training, championing ESG adoption, and working with regulators to modernize frameworks, we help create the transparency and accountability global investors expect. Our role is to ensure that private capital entering the region is both catalytic and protected by governance practices that deliver long-term value.
Joining CAMPEA puts you at the heart of Central Africa’s private equity and venture capital ecosystem. Contribute to market development, participate in programmes and events that strengthen the ecosystem while influencing policy, and engage with high-level investors and stakeholders while building your professional network and advancing your expertise in private capital. Contact us at the main office or submit a business inquiry : office@campea.org