British development finance agency CDC Group plans to invest up to $4.5 billion across Africa over the next four years to boost ties with the continent, its chief executive told Reuters on Wednesday, as the country prepares to leave the European Union. Government officials have been touring Africa, hoping to bolster ties with main economies such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.

Nick O’Donohoe said CDC, which has invested nearly $400 million in Nigeria, had committed $25 million to a local private equity firm, Synergy, to support small and medium sized companies in Africa’s most populous nation. CDC also provided a $100 million loan to Nigerian fertiliser company Indorama. O’Donohoe said the agency would like to invest more in infrastructure, power, manufacturing and agriculture.

CDC aims to open a regional office for West Africa in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos early next year and establish a presence in Nairobi, while also expanding in Johannesburg and with representative offices in Abidjan and Cairo.In April, Britain hosted a meeting of Commonwealth countries, including South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, seeking to reinvigorate the network of mostly former colonies and drum up new trade among its members. (Reuters)