The decision, taken at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, aims to help young tech start-ups bridge a persistent funding gap and scale from seed through their first institutional fundraising rounds, particularly in French-speaking West and Central African countries.

Under the arrangement, the Bank will contribute €4.5 million in equity to the fund, while a further €2 million will be provided as a first-loss coverage tranche on behalf of the European Commission’s Boost Africa Program.

This blended finance approach is designed to reduce risk for other investors and sharpen the fund’s focus on ventures with strong digital or technological components.

Saviu II, the second investment vehicle managed by Saviu Partners, intends to allocate between €500,000 and €3 million to about 20 technology-oriented business-to-business start-ups.

At least 60 per cent of its commitments are targeted at companies based in francophone African markets such as Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali, while also maintaining flexibility to co-invest in promising East African firms that aim to establish a presence in French-speaking West Africa.

In addition to its main investment strategy, the fund will reserve capital for pre-seed-stage financing.

These smaller, minority equity stakes will generally be made alongside incubators, start-up studios or other ecosystem partners, addressing a noted shortage of capital for very early-stage ventures.

Saviu Partners, established in 2018, has built a track record in supporting early-stage start-ups across francophone Africa.

Its first fund, Saviu I, was launched with €10 million in capital and invested in a portfolio of 12 companies, offering both funding and operational support in areas such as business development and international expansion.

The backing from the AfDB adds to previous institutional interest in Saviu II.

Prior fundraising rounds saw participation from development investors such as the Dutch Good Growth Fund, Proparco and AXIAN Investment, helping the vehicle reach significant milestones toward a larger targeted fund size.