Kenya; the regional hub for impact investing

The Global Steering Group for Impact investment (GSG) convened its inaugural Kenya Impact Dialogue on Monday, seeing over 200 impact investors, social entrepreneurs, development finance specialists and policy-makers discuss the need for a coherent approach to impact investment in Kenya.

In her keynote address, Ms. Betty Maina, Principal, Secretary to the State Department for Industrialization, Republic of Kenya, said the formation of National Advisory Boards (NABs), presents an opportunity to identify opportunities and resolve challenges faced by impact investors and entrepreneurs by engaging policymakers and informing the development of national impact investment strategies.

“We appreciate the platform provided by GSG for countries engagement to co-create policy interventions for inclusive and sustainable development through impact investment,” she added.

Impact to plug SDG financing gap

Maryanne Ochola, East Africa Regional Chapter Manager at Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), kicked off proceedings with a wake-up call, saying time was running out in the fight to eradicate poverty.

“We have a financing gap of $2.5 trillion towards the development of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We need to acknowledge that governments can’t do this alone, they need private capital to meet societal needs. Impact Investment affords us the opportunity to unlock financial and social good,” she said.

Ochola explained that globally, impact investment has grown by 41% in terms of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach over $250 billion in assets under management (AUM). But which remains a drop in the ocean with capital largely skewed towards large ticket sizes at the expense of small and growing businesses that can also transform an economy.

In her welcome address, Susie Kitchens, the British High Commissioner, noted that the SDG’s are facing a global annual investment gap of $2.5 trillion per year and that such was a great opportunity to shape the landscape and to drive forward the equitable march of progress to drive prosperity and security. Kenya is acknowledged as a regional hub for impact investing, being the third largest private equity market in sub-Saharan Africa, she noted.

In the Theme Address, GSG CEO Amit Bhatia stressed that the impact movement has the same core characteristics as other successful movements have, with the simple premise that it can be understood by all.

“All movements are replicable and decentralized, all successful movements are inclusive and abiding – they engage all citizens, all actors, irrespective of caste, religion, nationality etc., the impact movement is inclusive, the left, the right, big businesses, small businesses. We need to bid goodbye to aid and donors – we need to fix capitalism first,” Mr. Bhatia added.

GSG Solving Development Challanges

Ms. Betty Maina said: “We as governments ponder on the best way to address the ever demanding economic, social and environmental challenges.

“With the ever-diminishing fiscal space, it is evidently clear to many governments around the world that we can no longer rely on the public sector resources. Private equity and venture capital, beside philanthropy, is increasingly becoming an important complement to scale up impact investments through collaborative action by making the needed policy changes,” she said.

On the importance of education funding, Dr. Shannon May, founder of the Bridges Academy, said: “Education should be in your portfolio if it isn’t yet – there are 300 million children in school not reading. We need something to change, expand your portfolio, invest in education and join the GSG to see impact investment expand across the African continent,” she added.

Sanergy Founder and CEO David Auerbach said: “I am not seeing many impact investors willing to come in when it’s just an idea – this is very different from the Silicon Valley-type view – then it’s your responsibility as an entrepreneur.” Continuing, Robert Karanja, Lead, The B-Team Africa, said “Governments provide an enabling environment, but we’ve seen corporates encourage young people to be their (own) bosses.

“We provide an alternative to people in this country and not only go to school and be employed but also being their own bosses – they might not be enough job opportunities for people coming out of the market, we are driving towards bringing different mindset.”

A Kenyan Nab

In the Closing Panel on Building a Kenyan NAB, Arif Neky, Senior Advisor – UN Strategic Partnerships Coordinator – SDG Partnership Platform, highlighted the need create practical ecosystems for partners on the ground.

“We would be delighted to support as the NAB in Kenya is established. I think GSG has come to town at the right time. We need to focus on those which have been left behind, looking at the SDG partnership platform to identify bankable projects that help address some critical issues like health and poverty. Aggregate many partners together in one common form and the NAB can help catalyze this.”

NAB was challanged to embrace its convening power – the right people at the right time.