At Paris Fashion Week, Ghanaian entrepreneur Roberta Annan launches €100 m Impact Fund to invest in Africa’s creative industries

Sources: Top Africa News 

Ghanaian impact investor and creative economy advocate Roberta Annan officially launched the Impact Fund for African Creatives (IFFAC) on October 4, 2021, during Paris Fashion Week, marking a historic moment for Africa’s creative industries.

The €100 million fund is designed to provide both grants and investment capital to high-potential creative enterprises across the continent, bridging a critical financing gap and positioning Africa’s creative sector for global growth.

A Global Launch for a Continental Vision

The launch took place before an audience of fashion industry leaders, development partners, and investors in Paris, underscoring IFFAC’s mission to connect Africa’s creative talent with international markets.

Among the notable attendees was Chinelo Anohu, Senior Director of the Africa Investment Forum (AIF), an initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB). In her remarks, Anohu praised the fund’s potential to transform Africa’s creative economy and confirmed that the AfDB would collaborate with IFFAC during its upcoming Market Days event in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Funding Structure and Opportunities

IFFAC adopts a blended finance model to address the unique needs of the creative and cultural industries. The funding structure includes:

• Grants ranging from €10,000 to €50,000 to support early-stage creative projects.

• Venture capital investments between €250,000 and €2 million for creative businesses that complete IFFAC’s accelerator programme and present viable business plans.

These investments target multiple sub-sectors, including fashion, film, music, publishing, gaming, and the culinary arts, with a strategic focus on countries where IFFAC has conducted in-depth market research.

Championing Africa’s Creative Economy

Through IFFAC, Roberta Annan aims to replicate the kind of investment momentum seen in Africa’s technology sector, where startups like Flutterwave and Jumia have reached unicorn status. By building infrastructure, supporting intellectual property protection, and enabling creatives to scale, IFFAC seeks to make Africa’s creative sector an investable asset class on the global stage.

Annan, who is also the founder of the African Fashion Foundation (AFF), has spent over a decade supporting creative talent through grants, mentorship, and market access. The launch of IFFAC represents the next phase in her mission to unlock the sector’s full potential.

A Turning Point for Creative Enterprises

The timing of the launch at one of the world’s most prominent fashion events underscores IFFAC’s ambition to blend global exposure with local empowerment. With strategic partnerships and significant capital backing, the fund is positioned to create lasting economic impact while celebrating Africa’s cultural diversity.

As Annan stated at the launch:

“We want to create success stories in the creative space that can attract more investors and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs.”

About IFFAC

The Impact Fund for African Creatives is a €100 million investment initiative aimed at empowering Africa’s creative industries through grants, equity, and capacity building. Founded by Roberta Annan and managed by Annan Capital Partners, the fund works to scale creative enterprises into sustainable, globally competitive businesses.