By Standard Bank
Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, has partnered with Wilderness Holdings Limited on a landmark $175 million syndicated sustainable financing deal, as sole mandated lead arranger, underwriter and sustainability co-ordinator.
The transaction comprises a five-year senior secured funding package, including a $125 million term facility and a $50 million revolving credit facility. The financing is designed to support Wilderness’s long-term growth trajectory while strengthening liquidity, extending debt maturities and providing a flexible capital structure aligned to the group’s operating and cashflow profile.
Wilderness is a globally recognised conservation and eco-tourism group operating across some of Africa’s most ecologically sensitive and biodiversity-rich regions. The business plays a critical role in protecting natural habitats, preserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable livelihoods, with tourism revenues directly funding conservation outcomes and community development initiatives across the continent.
“Having walked a long journey with Wilderness, we are proud to have partnered with them on this landmark sustainable finance deal, supporting a business that exemplifies how conservation, community development and commercially resilient growth can coexist,” says Brydone Graham, deputy head of debt financing solutions at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB).
An innovative feature of the transaction is its sustainable finance format, that reflects the intrinsic nature of Wilderness’s operations, with almost all of the group’s operating expenditure directed toward eligible green and social activities, including biodiversity conservation, the operation of eco-tourism assets, land preservation and socio-economic empowerment. The structure embeds impact reporting including land under conservation and economic value generated through their conservation activities.
“This transaction represents an important milestone for Wilderness as we continue to scale our conservation and eco-tourism platform across Africa. The structure and sustainability alignment of the financing provide us with the flexibility and certainty required to support our long-term strategy,” says Keith Vincent, chief executive officer at Wilderness Holdings Limited.
The successful execution of this financing highlights strong alignment between institutional capital and sustainability-led business models, reinforcing investor confidence in Africa’s conservation and eco-tourism sector.
“This transaction reflects our purpose: Africa is our home, we drive her growth, by mobilising capital that delivers sustainable impact alongside resilient commercial outcomes. It also underscores our commitment to supporting clients whose business models directly contribute to preserving the continent’s natural capital,” adds Simone Hutchings, executive vice president for sustainable finance at Standard Bank CIB.
