Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French Development Agency (AFD Group), has officially announced a new investment in the Helios Climate Fund (HCF). Managed by Helios Investment Partners, one of Africa’s most prominent private equity firms, the fund is dedicated to financing the continent’s green energy transition and climate-resilient infrastructure.
This move marks a deepening of the strategic alliance between Proparco and Helios. It follows a significant $20 million commitment made by Proparco in 2024 to the Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, an investment vehicle designed to catalyze growth in Africa’s creative, cultural, and sporting industries.
The Helios Climate Fund has recently achieved its second closing, successfully raising its total commitments to approximately $250 million. The fund serves as a powerful example of blended finance, uniting a diverse group of global Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and private sector giants.
Current Stakeholders Include:
- DFI Partners: The European Investment Bank (EIB), FMO (Netherlands), British International Investment (BII), the Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets (SIFEM), Swedfund (Sweden), and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO).
- Institutional & Private Investors: InfraCo, Standard Bank, and the Emerging Markets Climate Action Fund (EMCAF).
The fund’s primary mandate is to address the massive financing gap in Africa’s climate landscape. By targeting mid-to-large-scale companies, HCF seeks to provide the capital necessary to pivot the continent toward a low-carbon economy.
Françoise Lombard, CEO of Proparco, emphasized the importance of the partnership:
The Helios Climate Fund seeks to mobilise private capital for Africa’s climate transition, where needs are immense and opportunities for transformation equally significant. By partnering with Helios Investment Partners, Proparco is backing an ambitious strategy that supports the scaling up of African companies while delivering measurable climate, economic, and social benefits.
The HCF is designed to deliver outcomes that go beyond financial returns:
- Climate Benefits: Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and carbon-mitigation technologies.
- Economic Growth: Supporting the maturation of African businesses and enhancing their competitiveness on the global stage.
- Social Advancement: Creating green jobs and improving energy access in underserved regions.
This investment underscores Proparco’s commitment to “Transformational Finance”, using capital to not only generate profit but to solve the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
