Investment
Energy
The importance of energy in accelerating the economic growth of the African continent makes it a key priority for DFC Holdings Ltd as we work towards a more prosperous continent. Countries that have accelerated their development have done so through massive investment in energy generation and Nigeria and Africa cannot afford to be left behind.
The limited availability of electricity for both commercial and domestic consumption continues to slow down the economic growth of the continent, driving up cost of production and negatively affecting every sector of the economy. With over one billion people, Africa accounts for over a sixth of the world’s population, but generates only 4% of global electricity.
Infrastructure
Physical infrastructure is often viewed as the “wheel” of economic activity since it provides the environment for productive activities to take place and facilitates the generation of economic growth. Presently, Nigeria and Africa face serious infrastructure gap. Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is estimated at $100 billion annually. While the financing for African Infrastructure currently falls short by between $68 billion to $108 billion per year, the African Development Bank estimates that Africa’s infrastructure needs are between $130 and $170 billion per year. The massive deficit in this sector has continued to slow down economic growth as no meaningful sustainable growth can be achieved without investment in infrastructural development.
Finance
Finance is the livewire of every business venture and is a major component for the incubation of small and medium scale industries in any nation. With limited banking penetration in Africa, DFC Holdings through our substantial investments in Fortis Mobile Money, Fintech Inclusion Centre and Microbiz Inclusion Centre have championed the cause of Fintech and mobile money penetration & adoption in the country by servicing customers who were traditionally neglected by commercial banks whilst also creating a way to obtain financial services through cooperatives and development finance.
Our creativity has worked with modern technology platforms to provide financial solutions to those at the base of the economic pyramid in Nigeria.
Healthcare
Every year, tens of thousands of Nigerians travel abroad for medical assistance. According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Health, Medical tourism costs Nigeria an estimated $1 billion dollars annually. The health care sector in Nigeria is in need of quality investment in order to close up the deficit that causes capital flight as people travel overseas in search of quality healthcare.
With a population of about 200 million people, Nigeria’s health sector has an annual deficit running into almost $10 billion dollars in health infrastructure and the current 4.5 percent of the total government budget for health is not enough to cater for the needs. This deficit results in a consequent economic loss of about $1 billion dollars to medical tourism.
Transport and Logistics
Nigeria’s transport and logistics sector holds a great opportunity for the country’s growth and development. Movement of people and goods from one place to another is essential to human existence. However, in Nigeria, heavy infrastructure deficit has made the opportunities in the sector largely untapped and currently provides investment opportunities for investors in the sector.
According to Nigeria’s National Integrated Infrastructure Master plan, the transportation sector will require a total investment estimated at about 3 trillion dollars to meet the deficit in the sector by 2043. While many people see the challenges, we at DFC see an incredible opportunity to close this gap.
Agro Allied resources
DFC Holdings considers agriculture as the engine of Nigeria’s economic growth and development. With over 70% of Nigerians employed in that sector and an average annual GDP contribution of about 40%, this is a sector that has to be taken seriously. DFC Farms and Resort Limited is interested in entire value chain in the agricultural development.
We are currently exploring opportunities to co-invest with our partners to set up a fertilizer plant in Nigeria.
We are equally finalizing arrangement to establish Hydroponic farms in three geopolitical zones of Nigeria for enhanced vegetable production for retail and industrial use. Our current areas of interest are the management of livestock farms and abattoirs belonging to Government agencies. Other areas of interest for DFC Farms include meat processing and packaging, fruit processing and concentrates.
Technology
In the world of life and business, the emergence of technology has reshaped how we do everything, enabling us to accomplish much more in less time and helping connect the world with a click of a button.
As a forward-thinking company, technology is at the heart of what we do at DFC. We are constantly looking for ways to maximize investment as we leverage on the multiplicity of opportunities in the Nigerian and African business environment.
Nigeria’s Tech ecosystem is robust and is reflective of the opportunities that abound in the Tech sector for the African continent. Today, while Technology is enabling the growth of various sectors, there is still a yearning deficit that technology can fix in terms of creating opportunities for economic growth.
Technology helps us in connecting the dots in our investment in various sectors of the economy. We are using Technology to build profitable businesses that solve real problems in the various sectors we operate.
Blockchain Technology & Payment
At DFC Holdings, we are leveraging blockchain technology to drive innovation, security, and financial inclusion across Africa. With our strong foundation in fintech, technology, and infrastructure, we view blockchain not only as a transformative tool but as a strategic enabler for digital finance. By integrating decentralized solutions into our investment ecosystem, we’re empowering both individuals and businesses with secure, transparent, and efficient ways to transact and manage assets.
Our focus lies in enabling seamless cross-border payments, supporting fintech startups, and piloting smart contract applications across critical sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and energy. Blockchain allows us to reduce transaction costs, enhance trust in digital payments, and unlock access to finance for the unbanked. From enabling instant remittances to digitizing government subsidies, we are helping to build a financial system that is inclusive and future-ready.
