Africa Logistics Properties announces strategic investors in historic industrial REIT listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange
Africa Logistics Properties Holdings
Limited (ALPH) has announced the participation of two key international
investors in its landmark ALP Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust
(ALP REIT). The announcement came during a dedicated
bell ringing ceremony to mark the official listing of the ALP REIT at
the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) this morning.
The UK government committed USD 24 million (KES 3.14 billion) to the
listing through investments from both the Private Infrastructure
Development Group (PIDG) and the MOBILIST programme.
As strategic cornerstone investors, PIDG has commited a total investment
of USD 15 million, with MOBILIST investing USD 9 million, marking a
significant milestone in the advancement of Kenya’s institutional-grade
industrial real estate sector.
The ALP REIT, approved by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), is the
first industrial REIT in East Africa and the first USD-denominated
security to list and trade on the NSE. ALPH raised USD 29.55 million in
the REIT, with the total listing valued at USD 39.95
million. This excludes USD 5 million of the overall PIDG commitment
which will be Invested as the REIT scales. These anchor investments
supported ALPH in attracting a wide range of investors from the private
sector, including local and regional institutional
investors.
“This milestone underscores Kenya’s growing capital markets maturity and
the increasing attractiveness of industrial real estate as a
sustainable investment class. The participation of PIDG and MOBILIST
demonstrates strong international confidence in Kenya.
Their support will accelerate industrial development, driving economic
growth, job creation and sustainable infrastructure,”
said Raghav Gandhi, Chief Executive Officer of ALPH.
PIDG, a pioneer in mobilising private investment for sustainable
infrastructure across Africa and Asia, is investing through its project
development solution InfraCo.
Claire Jarratt, PIDG Head of Investment Management for InfraCo said: “Having
anchored the establishment of REITs for affordable housing in Nairobi,
PIDG is familiar with the REIT structure, and we know that it works to
mobilise vital new sources of capital
for economic development. We are delighted to expand this expertise
into Kenya’s industrial real estate sector by supporting ALPH to develop
its ALP REIT. Today’s listing marks a further milestone for the
instrument in the East African market and is an endorsement
of ALPH’s strong governance and the sustainability of the business.”
Ross Ferguson, Programme Lead for MOBILIST within the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), said: "MOBILIST
is proving that underwriting and anchoring first-of-their-kind public
listings can unlock entirely new pathways for investment
in frontier markets. In Kenya, creating listed products that domestic
pension funds can invest in is essential to reducing their over-reliance
on government debt and directing long-term capital to the businesses
that drive growth. By demonstrating credible
exit routes for development finance institutions through local
listings, the UK is helping build deeper, more liquid markets that
attract both domestic and international investors. This is how we turn
public markets into a scalable engine for sustainable development.”
"The debut of the dollar-denominated Industrial I-REIT is a historic milestone for our market,"
noted NSE Chief Executive Officer Frank Mwiti. "By bringing this
asset class to the NSE, we are providing investors with a seamless
gateway to Africa’s industrial logistics sector, combining the stability
of hard currency with the growth potential of
regional infrastructure."
Since 2016, ALPH has developed two flagship industrial parks in Kenya:
ALP North in Tatu City (50,000 sqm) and ALP West in Tilisi (20,000 sqm),
providing modern, scalable industrial infrastructure to meet the
growing demands of Kenya’s logistics and manufacturing
sectors. The facilities include large-format warehouses with advanced
loading infrastructure, all built to IFC EDGE Advanced green building
standards.

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