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Press Release 2 minutes to read

Cauris Investissement Sells Its Stake in Celtel Burkina

May 2007. The Cauris Investissement Fund sold its stake in Celtel Burkina, a Burkinabé mobile telecommunications operator, for 6.250 million U.S. dollars, or 3,050 million CFA francs. Acquired in December 2003, this…

May 2007. The Cauris Investissement Fund sold its stake in Celtel Burkina, a Burkinabé mobile telecommunications operator, for 6.250 million U.S. dollars, or 3,050 million CFA francs. Acquired in December 2003, this stake was valued at more than six times its acquisition cost.

A divestiture completed at more than six times the acquisition cost

Cauris Investissement’s exit from Celtel Burkina illustrates a particularly successful private equity transaction. Having acquired a stake in December 2003, the team supported the company throughout its investment cycle before selling its shares in May 2007, generating a capital gain representing more than six times the initial investment.

Beyond the financial performance, this sale demonstrates the fund’s ability to identify high-potential assets in a strategic sector and to support their growth through to a value-creating exit.

Key Figures for the Transaction

  • Sale Price: 6.250 million U.S. dollars (3,050 million CFA francs).

  • Multiple Achieved: More than 6 times the acquisition cost of the shares.

  • Acquisition Date: December 2003.

  • Sale Date: May 2007.

An Investment in a Rapidly Expanding Telecommunications Sector

The acquisition of a stake in Celtel Burkina in late 2003 came during a period of strong growth in the mobile telecommunications sector in West Africa. Over the course of the holding period nearly three and a half years, the fund supported the operator’s development in a market driven by structurally growing demand for communications services.

This trajectory confirms the validity of an investment strategy focused on companies positioned in high-potential markets, where capital injections and strategic support help accelerate value creation.

The Role of Cauris Investissement

Cauris Investissement is one of the funds managed by Cauris Management, a private equity fund management firm that has been active in the SME and growth company segment in West Africa since 1995. The sale of Celtel Burkina is part of a full-cycle strategy:

  • Acquiring an equity stake,
  • Providing long-term support,
  • Followed by a controlled exit for the benefit of the fund’s investors.

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