Africa has hitherto been a blank space on the investment map. But interest is mounting. Its GDP has been growing at an average of 5% since 2001 and is set to keep expanding by 5.6% until 2012, according to the IMF.
A vital reason is the commodities boom; foreign investors, notably the Chinese, have been ploughing billions into Africa in order to grab a share of its abundant natural resources.
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Specialist funds are starting to spring up. Fidelity International has started a fund covering Africa, emerging Europe and the Middle East, while South Africa's Stanlib is launching the Dublin-based Standard Africa fund to invest in up to 20 African markets, excluding South Africa (the minimum investment is $50,000). Justin Urquhart-Stewart of Seven Investment Management tips the newly launched, Aim-listed PME African Infrastructure Opportunities fund (PMEA).
For more, see our recent cover story Why you should join the new scramble for Africa.
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