Pillars of Expertise

Our Services

At Songhai Advisory, we provide clients with the intelligence they need to make informed, responsible, and transformative decisions across Africa. Our services are rooted in deep local knowledge, rigorous analysis, and trusted regional networks.

Sovereign Intelligence

In-depth analysis of political, economic, legal, regulatory, social, operational, and environmental dynamics that shape national-level risk and opportunity.

Market Intelligence

Evaluation of competitive landscapes, performance trends, market incentives and constraints, and supply chain risks to support growth and investment strategies.

Corporate Intelligence

Enhanced due diligence and stakeholder analysis using our on-the-ground networks to uncover reputational, relational, and operational context.

Leadership Intelligence

Insight into leadership track records, governance culture, and decision-making capacity—alongside support for identifying C-suite and executive talent.

Capital Intelligence

Acting as a trusted bridge between African businesses seeking capital and partners looking for high-impact investment opportunities.

Join our network of investors, institutions, and innovators navigating Africa with clarity and confidence. Please get in touch with us if you would like to learn more about how we could assist you. There’s no question too big or too small for us to tackle.

OVerview

We are unapologetically focused on Africa—its complexity, potential, and power. Operating across all five regions—North, South, Central, East, and West—we draw upon the deep, generational knowledge of our in-country Balafon Team, whose insights are rooted in lived experience and local realities.

Our ambition is bold yet clear: to facilitate transformative, ethical, and sustainable investment across the continent. We do this not from the sidelines, but from within—bridging global ambition with African authenticity, and delivering intelligence that leads to action, impact, and lasting value.

Sovereign Intelligence Case Study

• Client: Global universal bank with diverse on-going interests in one of our countries concerned about risks surrounding its clients on the ground following an election.

• Our approach: Use a combination of in-house expertise and access to relevant stakeholders e.g. political party figures, central bank officials and senior executives from local banks to provide actionable and forward looking analysis through in report and presentation format.

• Outcome: Our analysis assisted the client’s diverse staff to appreciate the scenarios governing their respective areas of business. Issues underlined in the report included descriptions of the incoming government, likely priorities, importance of the electoral dispute and possible outcomes. Attention was also paid to the banking sector and challenges posed by financial delinquency of certain state-owned institutions and the incomplete implementation of AML/CFT best practice.

• Timeframe: 4 weeks

Market Intelligence Case Study

• Client: Global foundation that was focused on supporting mission-oriented, early-stage businesses in Africa. It has understood the state of the world: the polemic that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the scourge of climate change; that global food and nutrition insecurity are on the rise and that there is a significant funding gap for early-stage businesses in Africa.

• Our approach: We assisted the Client in answering some key questions around funding of mission-oriented early- stage companies in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania. Namely: what does the landscape of fund managers or investors look like in our markets of focus (local, regional, Panafrican)? What are the pain points of early-stage SMEs in our sectors of focus? What kinds of investment instruments are needed/preferred (equity/ convertible debt/ mezzanine loan)? In responding to these questions, over the course of eight weeks, Songhai team members based in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania conducted a blend of primary and secondary research. Namely, we surveyed a total of 70 key informants across a range of sectors, including clean energy, food systems and increased access (healthcare, education and financial services).

  We also compiled a data set of venture potential companies and impact-oriented funds. We also carried out extensive secondary research of various industry reports, government statistics, World Bank Indicators and other credible sources. We also drew upon Songhai Advisory's proprietary datasets and local knowledge.

• Outcome: A 55-page actionable report with recommendations for the Client about the investment potential for mission-oriented businesses in the clean energy, increased access, financial services sectors.

• Timeframe: Eight weeks

Corporate Intelligence Case Study

• Client: Investor considering equity/debt investment and seeking comfort around beneficial ownership, links with politically exposed persons; and also the stance of the government vis-à-vis the sector in general and this company in particular.

• Our approach: Access to public records, local language open source information, human sources on top of existing local knowledge and networks to identify characterstics of the subject firm and principals.

• Outcome: The client was made aware that politically exposed persons held a minority stake in the company and had demonstrated managerial influence e.g. hiring policy.

• Timeframe: 5 weeks

Leadership Intelligence Case Study

• Client: Industrial and natural resources practice of global executive search firm seeking to fill board level positions for a client firm.

• Our approach: Profile ideal candidates for the positions in question, conduct open source research, research team member networks locally and in Diaspora in order to present a list of potential candidates. Subsequent human intelligence and litigation checks on short-listed candidates.

• Outcome: The client ultimately selected the appropriate candidate for the position from among the list of potential candidates we had screened.

• Timeframe: 5 weeks