Centum Investment Company

Centum Investment Company Plc, commonly known as Centum is a public East African investment company. It operates as an affiliate of the Kenyan government-owned Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC).

Overview

Centum is a publicly owned investment company with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Its shares are listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), where they trade under the symbol CTUM.[4][5] The company shares are also cross-listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE), where they trade under the symbol "CENT".[6] Centum is an investment channel providing investors access to a portfolio of inaccessible, quality, diversified investments.

Centum's mission is to create real, tangible wealth by providing the channel through which investors access and build extraordinary enterprises in Africa. As of 31 March 2025, Centum's total assets were KSh 82.35 billion (US$637,334,571) with shareholder's equity of KSh45.8 billion (US$354,461,729).

Investment overview

Centum's investments are organised into four key verticals:

Growth portfolio

This division is involved in real estate development in Kenya[11] and Uganda,[12] with an eye to expanding into other countries in the African Great Lakes region.[13] These include:[14] Centum Real Estate's portfolio comprises Two Rivers Duplexes, The Loft, Riverbank, Cascadia Apartments, 26 Mzizi Court Apartments and 265 Elmer One Apartments. The company was recently recognized as a super brand[15] and has won global accolades [16] recognizing it as the top fastest growing company to watch in 2024. Vipingo Development offers a diverse range of investment opportunities. These include residential homes, fully serviced residential and industrial plots, as well as enticing prospects in commercial, hospitality and institutional sectors. The development features key urban infrastructure, including a 3 million litre capacity per day sea water desalination plant and an on-site power substation. Vipingo Development's portfolio comprises Awali Estate Phases 1 and 2, 1255 Palm Ridge Phases 1 and 2 and Kingswood Park Vipingo homes.

On 5 December 2024, Vipingo land was granted a permit to operate as a Special Economic Zone [19] Pearl Marina's portfolio comprises Bellavista Apartments, Mirabella Residences, Springfield Apartments, La Perla Bungalows, Riviera Residence and Kingswood Park.

Centum Real Estate – 100 percent shareholding – A real estate management, ownership, and development company. Centum RE has approximately 2,113 units in its project's portfolio spread out across Vipingo (Kilifi, Kenya), Nairobi (Kenya) and Pearl Marina (Uganda) and 89% of these had been sold as of 31 March 2024. During the year ended 31 March 2024, the company recognized revenue from 290 units (FY 2023: 222 units) and booked revenue of Ksh 3.7 Bn (FY 2023: Ksh 1.9 Bn).

Vipingo Development – 100 percent shareholding – 10,254-acre[17] development off the Kenyan coast.[18]

Pearl Marina – 100 percent shareholding – 389-acre development located in Ntabo Peninsula, popularly known as Garuga, by the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. The estate offers residential, recreational, social and retail facilities.

Private equity portfolio

Centum Capital Partners (CCAP)

Centum Capital Partners (CCAP) is a wholly owned, independently managed subsidiary of Centum and a private equity fund manager and currently manages Centum's private equity assets with an additional mandate to manage any new private equity funds and third-party capital alongside Centum's own capital. This division acquires equity positions in either publicly or non-publicly traded companies, mainly in the African Great Lakes region, but increasingly in other parts of the continent as well.[20] Investments under this segment include the publishing, financial services and utilities businesses. Per its March 2024 annual report, these included:[21]

Products and services by Longhorn Publishers include,[23] Longhorn Publishers,[24] and Longhorn Language Services.

Centum Capital Partners (CCAP)

Products and services by Longhorn Publishers include,[23] Longhorn Publishers,[24] and Longhorn Language Services.

Longhorn Publishers – 62 percent shareholding – A

Others

Isuzu East Africa - A motor vehicle retailer in Kenya and the local subsidiary of American-based General Motors.
NAS Servair – An on-site airport catering facility supplying over 30 International airlines that fly into and out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa.
Sidian Bank – 12.64 percent shareholding – A commercial bank in Kenya, licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator.[27][28][29]

Marketable securities portfolio

The Marketable Securities Portfolio comprises investments in securities and fixed income instruments managed by Nabo Capital. Nabo Capital Limited (Nabo) is entrusted by Centum Investment Company PLC (Centum) with a dual mandate of capital preservation and delivering asymmetric risk adjusted returns on its Marketable Securities Portfolio (MSP) while maintaining operational liquidity. According to the FY24 Performance Review, The portfolio generated solid mean returns of 13.0 percent despite significant macroeconomic challenges. The portfolio outperformed the local Kenyan index (NSE), the Pan-African index (MSCI) and the Bloomberg Africa Bond Index by 5.0 percent, 19.9 percent and 23.5 percent, respectively [30] Nabo Capital was named Best Asset Manager Africa 2025 by the Global Business & Finance Magazine [31]

Development portfolio

This represents investments that are still under development. As of March 2024 the development portfolio consists of

Two Rivers International Finance and Innovation Centre (TRIFIC) - 80.5 percent shareholding - The only services-focused Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kenya, offering new and exciting prospects for global, regional and Kenyan service-oriented business enterprises seeking a competitive and advantageous base to access international markets. TRIFIC spans over 64 acres within Nairobi's prestigious diplomatic blue zone a further robust development capacity of 1.2 million square meters. TRIFIC is a member of the prestigious World Alliance of International Financial Centers[32]
Akiira Geothermal Limited – 70 percent shareholding – The first private sector greenfield geothermal development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Akiira is Centum Investment's investment vehicle in the energy sector that is looking to set up an initial 140MW geothermal powerplant, within the Greater Olkaria Geothermal Area. Akiira has access to a concession area covering up to 480 sqkm and has completed the exploration stage of project development.
Jafari Credit - 100 percent shareholding - A non-deposit taking microfinance company that offers long term credit to civil servants employed by both the National and County Governments. Currently, the company has 24 branches and since inception in Q3’2021 to end of FY24, the company had disbursed Ksh 466 million in loans.

Former investments

In 2014, Centum exited two investment funds Helios and Nigeria-based African Capital Alliance where total investments were valued at KShs 500 million.[33]
Rift Valley Railways – 10 percent shareholding previously held – A consortium that was established in 2005 to manage the Uganda Railway parastatal railways of Kenya and Uganda. This investment was exited in 2012[34] to Qalaa Holdings.[35]
UAP Holdings – 14 percent shareholding previously held – An investment, retirement, and insurance services group that operates mainly in East Africa. Centum exited this investment in 2015 through a direct sale to Old Mutual.[36]

type	Public Limited Company
traded as	kn: CTUM USE:CENT
foundation	1967
location	Nairobi, Kenya
key people	Donald Kaberuka (Chairman)‡R1R‡ James Mwirigi Mworia (CEO) Risper Alaro (Group Finance Director)‡R2R‡
num employees	30 (2024)
assets	KSh 82.35 billion (US$637,334,571) (March 2025)
revenue	▲Aftertax: Ksh 812.8 million (US$6,281,318) (March 2025)‡R3R‡
industry	Investments
products	Private Equity, Real Estate Development, Agribusiness, Banking, Power Generation, etc
homepage	http://www.centum.co.ke/

Centum Investment Company

Overview

History

Investment overview

Growth portfolio

Private equity portfolio

Centum Capital Partners (CCAP)

Centum Capital Partners (CCAP)

Others

Marketable securities portfolio

Development portfolio

Former investments

See also

External links

References

Others