Founded in 2000 under the leadership of Thomas Gibian, Hurley Doddy, Vincent Le Guennou, and Carolyn Campbell, ECP has over 20 years of investing experience on the continent and is one of the largest and longest-established private equity fund managers focused on Africa,[1][2] with an investment team operating in three offices on the continent.

In May 2007, when ECP closed its second fund with capital commitments of over US$520 million,[3] the company became the first private equity group to raise over $1 billion for investment in Africa.

[5] ECP seeks to identify opportunities in sectors that benefit from the long-term structural demographic and economic shifts driving Africa’s growth.

[6][7] ECP focuses on investments in consumer goods, financial services, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors and has previously invested in rubber and sugar companies, restaurant chains,[8] power and water utilities,[9] banks,[10] telecoms towers[11][12] and PayTV.

In October 2011, ECP became the first private equity firm to sign a co-operation agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to participate in its Private Equity Africa Climate Change Investment Support (PEACCHIS) program.