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Cairo 30 October 2025:
Zilla Capital successfully closes the strategic investment of AfricInvest, the leading pan-African investment platform, in The British University in Egypt (BUE). The transaction, executed through a capital increase, represents one of Egypt’s largest foreign direct investments in the education sector to date. Following the investment, the Khamis family will remain to be the majority shareholders of the University.
Statements from Leadership
“We welcome Africinvest’s strategic investment in our University” said Ms. Farida Khamis, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “This injection of capital, with ongoing support from the Egyptian government, will allow us to further the legacy of our founder – my late father, Mr. Mohamed Farid Khamis – by broadening the capabilities and academic reach of the University to ensure our leading role amongst educational institutions, not just in Egypt, but in the Middle East and Africa.”
“The University has made its mark as a student-centered institution and we look forward to working with our new partners to seek new synergies, and leverage AfricInvest’s investment to further develop and strengthen our infrastructure and improve the learning experience for our students,” said Professor Mohamed Loutfi, President and Vice-Chancellor.
AfricInvest Perspective
Mr. Ismail Talbi, Senior Partner at AfricInvest, stated “We are thrilled to announce our strategic investment in the British University in Egypt, which marks a significant step towards enhancing educational excellence in the region. Our commitment is to fuel the University’s expansion and transformation, empowering it to become a leading player in higher education across Africa and the Middle East.”
“Zilla Capital is pleased to have acted as exclusive financial adviser on this milestone transaction. This unique complex transaction reinforces our commitment to supporting strategic investments that strengthen the higher education sector and its impact on future generations. We were delighted to work alongside the British University in Egypt and AfricInvest teams in making this happen.” said Moustafa El Shenety, Managing Partner at Zilla Capital.
About The British University in Egypt
Founded in 2004, The BUE is Egypt’s premier private British university. It offers a wide range of dual degree undergraduate and postgraduate degrees – in partnership with its academic partners, Manchester Metropolitan University, London South Bank University and Queen Margaret University – based on the British model of Higher Education.
The capital increase will enable the University to further strengthen its position in the higher education sector in Egypt and regionally, expanding the capacity of existing faculties, establishing new ones, diversifying its curriculum, broadening its educational offering and implementing enhanced governance tools. The BUE will also work closely with AfricInvest to identify potential synergies and partnerships in Africa and the region.
Zilla Capital acted as transaction advisor and Baker McKenzie as legal counsel to the British University in Egypt. Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy acted as legal counsel to AfricInvest.
About Zilla Capital
Zilla Capital is a leading Investment Bank in MENA, leveraging its Executive Partners’ extensive experience and network in the region to help our clients achieve their strategic goals through offering comprehensive and integrated financial solutions that cater to their specialized needs. Zilla Capital is a one-stop-shop offering an array of services including financial advisory, asset management, private equity, and non-banking financing solutions.
About AfricInvest
AfricInvest is a leading pan-African investment platform active in multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, venture capital, private credit, blended finance, and listed equities. Over the past thirty years, we have raised USD 2.3 billion to finance more than 230 companies at various development stages, delivering value and impact for our investors, portfolio companies, and the communities we serve. Our 100-strong team of investment experts in more than ten offices across three continents has a proven track record of providing attractive risk-adjusted returns while spurring productivity growth, creating jobs, and ultimately improving African lives through inclusive and sustainable development.
In this context, on the other hand, there are many related sector news items that you can follow. For example, we highlight the most important ones in the following list:
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