GDP growth in Sub-Saharan Africa last year hit 4.4%, with a third of the countries in the region growing at a robust 6% annual rate. Many analysts believe this helps sets the stage for long-term growth, underpinned by a growing middle class and rising foreign investment. That, in turn, is helping to grow the services sector while reducing dependence on natural resources. Accompanying this growth is a pickup in private equity activity (PE), which offers more promise for economic development. To learn more about that, Knowledge@Wharton spoke with three PE experts in this first part of a two-part podcast:

Michelle Kathryn Essomé, chief executive of the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA);

Michael Rogers, global deputy sector leader for private equity at EY; and

Stephen M. Sammut, senior fellow and lecturer at Wharton.

 

Download the edited transcript: Private Equity Steps Up in Africa -- Part I