Baba Danpullo Taps Kessner to Manage Fortune, Invest in Central Africa
Baba Ahmadou Danpullo, the Cameroonian businessman ranked as the wealthiest person in francophone sub-Saharan Africa, has launched a new investment vehicle called Danpullo Capital. Based in Douala, the platform is a joint venture with alternative investment manager Kessner Capital Management. It will manage the family’s assets and pursue investment opportunities across Central Africa.
According to reports, the venture marks the first time Danpullo, 77, has placed the management of his wealth within a formal institutional structure alongside external investment professionals. Its mandate extends beyond preserving and growing the family fortune to deploying capital across the CEMAC region.
Danpullo built his business empire over several decades after beginning his career as a truck driver in Cameroon’s North West Region. He later expanded into tea production, transport, agribusiness, real estate and telecommunications. Through the Bestinver group, he controls interests including Ndawara Tea Estate, Cameroon Tea Estates, a stake in mobile operator Nexttel and investments in several strategic enterprises.
Forbes Africa has valued his fortune at approximately 547 billion CFA francs, or about $930 million. Danpullo Capital will bring those assets under a dedicated investment structure while providing a platform for new investments in Central Africa.
The initiative also comes as Danpullo pursues several major projects. In June, he announced plans to invest CFAF500 billion in a private airline, Danpullo Air Line, and two private airports in Yaounde and Douala. Construction of the Yaounde airport is scheduled to begin in September, with commercial operations targeted for 2030.
Danpullo’s partner in the new venture, Kessner Capital Management, was founded in 2024 by Bruno-Maurice Monny and Benny Osei. The firm specializes in private credit and structured finance solutions for African businesses.
In February 2025, Swiss investment firm NFG SA acquired a 76% controlling stake in Kessner and committed up to $50 million to support the expansion of its debt-financing activities across the continent. Kessner launched its first Africa-focused private credit fund in September 2025, offering financing in local and foreign currencies.
According to information released by Kessner, its investment strategy focuses on providing short- and medium-term financing to small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, technology, renewable energy and financial services.
The creation of Danpullo Capital introduces a new institutional investor in a region that has traditionally received a limited share of Africa’s private investment flows. Fund managers have largely concentrated their activities in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Morocco, while Central African markets have attracted fewer dedicated investment platforms despite growing demand for business financing.
The World Bank estimates that African small and medium-sized enterprises face a financing gap of about $331 billion. Kessner has identified this credit shortage as an investment opportunity, arguing that demand for business financing continues to outpace traditional bank lending in many African economies.
