(Agence Ecofin) – Five years after making a joint investment with the Holged group in the Tunisian education sector, SPE Capital has decided to join its partner’s funding round, via the purchase of a share of the capital.
The capital investor focused on the Africa and Middle East (MENA) region, SPE Capital, announced on Thursday, March 31, the acquisition of a strategic minority stake in the private education group Holding générale d’éducation (Holged) which operates in Morocco and Tunisia. The transaction was executed by SPE AIF I, the private equity firm’s $258 million investment fund dedicated to financing African companies in general and North African companies in particular.
Stéphane Heuzé, partner at SPE Capital, commented on this acquisition. “We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Holged and to accompany the group in its new chapter of development, alongside its management team. This investment is also an opportunity for us to support the group in its growth..»
The private equity firm was for many years the partner of the private education group. In 2017, SPE Capital, Holged and the investor Meninx Holding formed a consortium to acquire all the shares of the Tunisian private establishment International School of Carthage (ISC). Five years later, SPE Capital decides to pursue its commitments in the education sector in North Africa, with the new operation.
SPE Capital entered the capital of Holged by acquiring the minority stake formerly held by the investment company Satya Capital and the platform TPG Growth. They have agreed to sell their shares for an undisclosed amount, after seven years of investment in Holged.
The new shareholder will support the management team of the education group in the densification of its territorial network, the improvement of its infrastructures and the acceleration of organic and external growth initiatives.
Speaking in the columns of the Moroccan media leboursier.comat the end of 2021, Tarik Haddi, president of the Moroccan Association of Capital Investors (AMIC), indicated in a forward-looking manner that education is among the most promising investment sectors in Morocco, during the post- covid-19 in Morocco.
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