Green Earth Impact Fund commits USD 5 million to climate infrastructure across Africa

News Release, Zurich, 03 December 2024

Schroders Capital and BlueOrchard have invested USD 5 million through the Green Earth Impact Fund (GEIF) into the African Infrastructure Investment Fund 4 (AIIF4), a growth-oriented infrastructure fund contributing towards climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation across Africa.

Jointly managed by Schroders Capital and BlueOrchard, GEIF is a fund of funds strategy that provides capital to innovative private equity funds, which contribute to positive climate impact through investments in the areas of climate mitigation, adaptation, water or biodiversity in emerging and frontier markets.

AIIF4 is managed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), an experienced infrastructure investor in the African continent, with track record of over 20 years across multiple cycles.

The investment has been made into AIIF4 Climate Investment LP, a dedicated vehicle within the AIIF4 Fund that focuses on climate impact investments in the infrastructure space. As one of the most established managers in the region, AIIM leverages long standing local networks and relationships with trusted operators and partners. It also has extensive track record in delivering impact return and active ESG transformation through its five prior funds.

The investment has been made into AIIF4 Climate Investment LP, a dedicated vehicle within the AIIF4 Fund that focuses on climate impact investments in the infrastructure space. As one of the most established managers in the region, AIIM leverages long-standing local networks and relationships with trusted operators and partners. This investment will particularly focus on countries such as South Africa and Morocco, as well as the broader Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. AIIM has already made investments in cold chain logistics, renewable energy platforms (solar), and data centres, contributing to a sustainable infrastructure ecosystem. It also has an extensive track record in delivering impact returns and active ESG transformation through its five prior funds.

Daniel Freedman, Senior Portfolio Manager at BlueOrchard, said: ​
​“AIIM is proven in their field, with a robust track record in infrastructure investment across Africa. The team’s steadfast dedication in generating impactful climate solutions resonates deeply with our mission. We are thrilled to allocate GEIF's latest investment to this Fund and look forward to working collaboratively in driving climate solutions across Africa.”
Paul Frankish, Head of Strategic Initiatives at African Infrastructure Investment Managers, said: ​
​“We are delighted to welcome GEIF as an investor into our AIIF4 Fund. The mandates of the Fund and GEIF are well-aligned to deliver climate solutions through a defined strategy to increase clean energy supply, decrease carbon intensity and provide sustainable food security for Africa through our investments in renewable energy, green data centres and temperature-controlled logistics. We look forward to working with GEIF to deliver on this mandate and increase sustainable infrastructure supply across Africa.”

BlueOrchard is the Investment Manager of GEIF and Schroders is the Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM), providing risk and portfolio services to the fund. GEIF is an Article 9 Fund with sustainable investment as its objective1.

– ends –

Notes to Editors

1 Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability‐related disclosures in the financial services sector (“SFDR”).

More product-specific information on GEIF is available to qualified investors on the BlueOrchard website: www.blueorchard.com/products/green-earth-impact-fund-geif/

The fund is available for professional clients and qualified investors in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Austria, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Media contacts

Wim Heirbaut

Senior PR Consultant, Befirm

Tânia Jerónimo Cabral

Head of Marketing Schroders Benelux, Schroders

About BlueOrchard Finance Ltd

BlueOrchard is a leading global impact investment manager and member of the Schroders Group. As a pioneer of impact investing, the firm is dedicated to generating lasting positive impact for communities and the environment, while aiming at providing attractive returns to investors. BlueOrchard was founded in 2001, by initiative of the UN, as the first commercial manager of microfinance debt investments worldwide. Today, the firm offers impact investment solutions across asset classes, connecting millions of entrepreneurs in emerging and frontier markets with investors with the aim to make impact investment solutions accessible to all and to advance the conscious use of capital. Being a professional investment manager and expert in innovative blended finance mandates, BlueOrchard has a sophisticated international investor base and is a trusted partner of leading global development finance institutions. To date, BlueOrchard has invested over USD 11 billion across more than 100 countries. As of December 2023, BlueOrchard supported over 300 million people in emerging and frontier markets with its investments. For additional information, please visit: www.blueorchard.com.

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Schroders Capital

Schroders Capital provides investors with access to a broad range of private market investment opportunities, portfolio building blocks and customised private market strategies. Its team focuses on delivering best-in-class, risk-adjusted returns and executing investments through a combination of direct investment capabilities and broader solutions in all private market asset classes, through comingled funds and customised private market mandates.

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