Shelter Afrique, Vista Group sign affordable housing finance pact for West Africa

Shelter Afrique Development Bank and Vista Group Holding SA signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings, aiming to channel more long-term capital into affordable housing across West Africa.

Under the agreement, the two institutions will explore cooperation in housing finance, risk sharing and technical assistance, combining Shelter Afrique's long-term capital and housing expertise with Vista's banking network to support developers and widen access to affordable homes.

Thierno-Habib Hann, managing director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, said the partnership connects the bank's long-term capital with a banking network that spans Africa, allowing both sides to finance more developers and put more households in homes.

Yao Kouassi, group managing director of Vista Group Holding SA, said the agreement strengthens the group's ability to bring long-term, affordable housing finance to the communities it serves across its markets.

The partnership supports Shelter Afrique's mandate to provide finance, advisory and research solutions that address Africa's housing crisis through public and private partnerships, and backs Vista's push into the affordable housing market.