Equity affirms Africa’s growth on Local Enterprises,Opportunities

Equity Group affirmed that the future of Africa’s growth lies in purposeful partnerships that connect local enterprises to global opportunities at the recent Italy-Kenya Economic Forum in Rome

Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi alongside Dario Scannapieco, Chief Executive Officer of Gruppo Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), formalized a strategic collaboration anchored by a €30 million facility under the TERRA programme.

The initiative is aimed at unlocking the potential of smallholder farmers and MSMEs across the livestock,leather and coffee value chains.

The partnership reflects a broader shift in the evolution of development finance, from a focus on capital flows to a more holistic approach that emphasizes building resilient, end-to-end value chains, enhancing quality and standards for global competitiveness, and enabling small-scale producers to participate meaningfully in international markets.

For Kenya, sectors such as coffee and leather are not only economic assets but also key pathways to inclusive growth, job creation, and industrial transformation.

By linking producers to international markets such as Italy, the collaboration is expected to expand trade while facilitating the transfer of knowledge, technology, and standards that strengthen entire ecosystems.