The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II venture capital fund, directing institutional capital toward early-stage technology startups that have long been underserved in French-speaking West and Central Africa.
The board gave its approval on Friday, February 27, 2026, in Abidjan. The financing package combines €4.5 million in direct equity with a €2 million first-loss hedging tranche funded through the European Commission’s Boost Africa Programme, a joint initiative designed to mobilise risk capital for small and growing businesses across the continent.
The first-loss component is structured to absorb early downside risk, improving the fund’s overall risk-return profile and making it more attractive to private co-investors who might otherwise bypass nascent markets.
Saviu II, managed by Saviu Partners, will deploy tickets ranging from €500,000 to €3 million across approximately 20 business-to-business technology startups at the seed stage or entering their first institutional fundraising round. At least 60 percent of commitments will flow into seven francophone countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali. The fund will also allocate a dedicated envelope for pre-seed investments, typically taking minority stakes alongside venture studios and incubators.
Saviu Partners launched its first vehicle in 2018 with a €10 million capitalisation and has since backed 12 startups across French-speaking West Africa, offering portfolio companies support in areas including business development, recruitment, and international expansion.
The investment signals growing institutional confidence in francophone Africa’s technology sector, where venture funding has historically trailed Anglophone hubs such as Nigeria and Kenya despite accelerating digital adoption and rising demand for enterprise solutions in fintech, logistics, and software.
