Mauritian Conglomerate ER Group Targets East Africa Growth with New Nairobi Hub
Mauritian-listed conglomerate ER Group (ERGroup.mu) has expanded its regional footprint by opening a new office in Nairobi, Kenya, and launching a dedicated regional investment fund in partnership with equity investors. Formed in 2025 through the merger of ENL and Rogers, the Group is advancing its regionalisation strategy by strengthening its presence in East Africa—one of the continent’s fastest-growing economic hubs.
Regional growth is a key pillar of ER Group’s ten-year strategic plan unveiled earlier this year. With operations spanning 17 territories globally, the Group is scaling its African presence through a focused and disciplined approach—prioritising sectors where it already has strong expertise and leveraging trusted partnerships to drive sustainable expansion.
As part of this strategy, ER Group aims to double the contribution of its international operations from approximately 15% of total revenue today to 30% over the next decade. East Africa has been identified as a core priority, with Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, and Uganda forming the initial phase of its expansion roadmap.
To support this ambition, the Group—together with equity partners—has established a regional fund of MUR 1 billion. The fund will provide growth capital to its subsidiaries, enable targeted investments, and strengthen its ability to seize opportunities in sectors and markets where it already has a proven track record.
On the ground, ER Group has appointed Rasmus Bentzen as its regional representative in Nairobi. With over ten years of experience in private equity and regional investments across East Africa, he will lead efforts to identify new opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and support the growth of the Group’s operations in the region.
Commenting on the expansion, Group CEO Gilbert Espitalier-Noël noted that regionalisation remains central to the company’s long-term vision. He emphasized that focusing on familiar markets and leveraging partnerships will be key to achieving sustainable growth, adding that the Nairobi office enhances the Group’s ability to execute its expansion strategy effectively across East Africa.
Backed by strong financial performance, ER Group continues to invest strategically to support its long-term growth. For the first half of FY26, the Group reported revenue of MUR 23.2 billion ($492.7 million), EBITDA of MUR 6.4 billion ($135.9 million), profit after tax of MUR 2.6 billion ($55.2 million), and an operating margin of 26%. It also projects full-year EBITDA of MUR 12 billion ($254.8 million).
The establishment of its Nairobi office, alongside the launch of a dedicated regional fund, signals a more proactive phase in ER Group’s expansion journey—positioning the company to deepen partnerships and unlock new opportunities across East Africa and the broader Indian Ocean region.
