FINANCING : Enko Education Raises $22 Million from Standard Bank to Accelerate Its African Expansion
La voix des entreprises 
Cyrille Nkontchou, Enko Education
(LVDE) — The pan-African network of private schools founded by Cameroonian investor Cyrille Nkontchou has reached a new financial milestone. Following a recent equity fundraising round, Enko Education has secured a $22 million loan from Standard Bank, strengthening its expansion strategy across the continent.
In Africa’s financial circles, the announcement resonated as a strong signal to the private education sector. Enko Education has obtained a $22 million loan from Standard Bank to support the opening and acquisition of new schools across Africa. Converted at the prevailing exchange rate, the financing amounts to more than CFA 12 billion.
This transaction comes less than fifteen months after an equity round that enabled the network to raise several million dollars from international investors specializing in impact investing. In total, nearly $46 million has been mobilized within a relatively short period, underscoring investor appetite for structured and profitable education ventures on the continent.
Founded and co-led by Cameroonian financier Cyrille Nkontchou, the group has developed a model of international schools established in around ten African countries, notably in West, Central and Southern Africa. Its ambition is clear: to expand access to international curricula — particularly the International Baccalaureate — for Africa’s rapidly growing middle class. According to the African Development Bank, this middle class now represents more than 30% of the continent’s population, generating sustained demand for quality education.
The loan granted by Standard Bank is expected to enable the network to accelerate its geographic footprint, invest in educational infrastructure and strengthen its digital tools. Private education in Africa is experiencing rapid growth, driven by demographic dynamics — more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25, according to the World Bank — and by the strain on public education systems in several countries.
For Standard Bank, a leading player in structured finance across Africa, the transaction aligns with its strategy of supporting sectors with strong social impact. In recent years, the banking group has increased its commitments in education, infrastructure and energy, regarded as key drivers of economic transformation.
With this new financial backing, Enko Education aims to consolidate its presence in strategic regional capitals and further enhance the academic quality of its institutions. The network already enrolls several thousand students and reports high admission rates of its graduates into international universities. In a competitive environment marked by the rise of private education operators, the ability to secure substantial funding constitutes a decisive advantage.
Through this latest financial milestone, the group confirms the growing momentum of an African ecosystem in which private capital and educational initiatives converge to address the continent’s demographic and economic challenges.
Tressy Chouente
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