British International Investment

It’s great to see the second publication in the Foundations of Growth series from the Africa Resilience Investment Accelerator (ARIA). This report highlights the opportunities for investment in frontier markets in Africa. It's based on an analysis of 400 businesses operating in the five countries where ARIA operates – Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It categorises the companies operating in these markets, highlights their impact potential and discusses how they can be best supported. You can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/etSkwYCA or find out more below ⬇

The Operating Principles for Impact Management (also known as the Impact Principles) are the impact investment industry standard for good impact management. The Impact Principles provide a reference point against which the impact management systems of funds and institutions can be assessed. They draw on emerging best practices from a range of asset managers, asset owners, asset allocators, and development finance institutions. We’re proud to be a founding signatory to the Impact Principles and every year since 2020 we've disclosed our alignment. This year we have also had our alignment independently verified by BlueMark, a leading impact verification company. BlueMark assessed our approach as ‘advanced’ for all eight of the Impact Principles. ‘Advanced’ is the highest possible alignment and underlines our continued position as a market leader in impact management. You can read our full disclosure statement as well as BlueMark’s independent assessment on our website. Links to both are in the comments. Ushnisha G. Rob Davies Maria Smith

Our new report looks at a critical issue at the heart of development finance – the relationship between economic growth and reducing poverty. Understanding how countries have successfully eradicated poverty helps clarify the role of development finance institutions. Drawing on case studies from across the countries where we invest, the report highlights the importance of DFIs investing in sectors that deliver significant productivity gains. It also explores the need for private sector investment to be reinforced by public investment and social spending programmes to reduce poverty most effectively. 📈🤝. Read the full report on our website. Link available in the comments. #EconomicGrowth #PovertyReduction #SustainableDevelopment

Thank you to all of you who were able to join us for last week's event to mark the publication of our Annual Review 2023: Creating impact together. We heard from our Chair, Diana Layfield, and Chief Executive, Nick O'Donohoe who shared their reflections on the successes, challenges and milestones from the last year. We were also joined by our partners from Africa and Asia for two panel sessions to discuss how our investments are having a positive impact on people and the planet. Recordings of the full event, individual panels and Q&A session are now available on our YouTube channel. Click the link in the comments to view each session ⬇️📽️.

At BII, we want our partners to achieve success that will lead to further prosperity. Our partners include entrepreneurs, investment partners and the countries where we invest. We’ve been investing in Pakistan for over 35 years and last week our Board visited the country to meet with some of our investment partners who are driving inclusive growth and meeting the challenge of climate change. These included: ⚡ Zephyr Power Limited, a renewable energy company that has developed a 50 megawatt wind-power plant. Not only is the company generating clean, green power. It is also building resilience to climate change and supporting biodiversity by restoring and nurturing mangrove forests which also guard against tidal erosion. 🌱 🏦 HBL and its subsidiary HBL Microfinance Bank LTD, where we discussed the microfinance sector and heard from their clients how access to finance has helped them grow their business and improve their livelihoods. 👩💼 Meeting clients of Kashf Foundation, a microfinance institution that lends money to women entrepreneurs. Their stories of being able to increase their income thanks to Kashf Foundation loans was an opportunity to see firsthand the impact of our partnership. The visit also included meetings with the State Bank Governor and Pakistan Finance Minister to discuss Pakistan's macroeconomic outlook and investment landscape, as well as meeting with our shareholder and other DFI and multilateral bank partners to discuss development finance needs in Pakistan.

Yesterday, we published our 2023 Annual Review: Creating impact together. We support the growth of sustainable economies that work for both people and the planet. But we can’t achieve this impact alone. We work in partnership with many others: our investment partners, entrepreneurs and the countries where we invest. We want our partners to achieve the success that will lead to further prosperity and meet the challenge of climate change. Find out more about some of the new partnerships we formed throughout the year in the video below. You can also read the Review in full on our website – link in the comments.

We’re pleased to present our Annual Review 2023: Creating impact together Over the course of 2023 we made £1.3 billion of gross commitments, investing in sustainable economies that support people and protect the planet. Highlights include: ☀ Investing £449 million of climate finance, ranging from investing in solar-powered irrigation systems for smallholder farmers, to Sierra Leone's first large-scale independent power producer. 🌍 Establishing a new platform, entirely financed by BII, to offer local currency, flexible financing options to SMEs in Ghana, ensuring the access to finance they need to grow and create jobs. ♀ Boosting women’s economic empowerment by committing £297 million of gender finance.   But we haven’t achieved this impact alone. We work in partnership with many others, including our investment partners, entrepreneurs and the countries where we invest. Our success is measured in our partners’ success, in the prosperity of people and the health of the planet.   Find out more in this video and there's a link to the full review in the comments ⬇️📽️

Our Annual Review 2023 launch event is starting soon! Join us live as our Chief Executive and Chair, share their reflections on the last year’s milestones, successes and challenges. We’re also joined by business leaders from Africa and Asia, who have played a pivotal role in BII’s achievements over the last year. Join the livestream here: https://lnkd.in/dAFgZceJ

We’re pleased to continue our support of small businesses in Nigeria with a new $50 million commitment to Access Bank Plc. Our investment is part of a $295 million loan package arranged by FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. The loan package aims to strengthen Access Bank’s capital base so they can increase their lending to small businesses who often face challenges accessing suitable finance. UK in Nigeria, Benson Adenuga, Jumai Hadiza Mohammed, Dayo Ogundare, Patricia Paricio, CFA, Annabel Brooks, Adeola Ukoha, Charitha Isanaka, Tim Bescoby, 'Banji Jackson-Oke, Katharine Tengtio, Adeola Chetachi Adesola, Ndaba Mpofu, John Kelting, Stephen Priestley, Samir Abhyankar

Agriculture is critical to the Zimbabwe economy, employing 65 per cent of the population. Addressing the financing gap for agribusinesses is key in supporting the sustainable growth of the agricultural sector. Our $10 million commitment to NMB Bank Ltd, Zimbabwe, which is our first financial services debt financing in Zimbabwe, will help address this gap by supporting the bank to provide much needed funding to agricultural exporters in the country. It will also help to build climate resilience in a country and sector that is vulnerable to the impact of climate change, as it will support projects that promote mitigation and adaptation. Pete Vowles, Christopher Chijiutomi, Jumai Hadiza Mohammed, Dayo Ogundare, Christopher Rowbottom, Dirk Holshausen, Thithi K., Teni Ntoi, Charles Hare, Gina Edmonds, Tim Bescoby, 'Banji Jackson-Oke, Katharine Tengtio, Ellen Brookes, Shukti Trivedi, Ndaba Mpofu, John Kelting, Samir Abhyankar