May 31, 2025
Cairo, Egypt – MDP, a leading payments technology infrastructure group serving the Middle East and Africa, is excited to announce a new phase of growth following a strategic investment led by Lorax Capital Partners (LCP). This transaction also marks the successful exit of AfricInvest, a long-time partner whose support was crucial to MDP’s expansion over recent years.
MDP offers a fully integrated payments technology ecosystem, delivering end-to-end solutions from card issuing and processing to cloud-native digital platforms. Serving over 200 banks and 60 fintech companies across Africa and the Middle East, MDP has processed more than 1 billion transactions and issued over 350 million cards to date. The company continues to champion financial inclusion and digital transformation throughout the region.
The latest investment round, spearheaded by LCP, includes backing from a consortium of leading global development financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) — a World Bank Group member — and Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French AFD Group. Their participation reflects a shared commitment to strengthening financial infrastructure and fostering digital innovation across the region.
Ahmed Nafie, Co-founder and CEO of MDP, commented, “This strategic investment represents a significant milestone in MDP’s journey. We’re proud of the robust platform we have built across more than 40 countries. With Lorax and a distinguished group of global investors supporting us, we are well-positioned to accelerate our growth, enhance our processing capabilities, and expand our footprint throughout Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. We extend our sincere gratitude to AfricInvest for their instrumental role in supporting our development and regional leadership.”
AfricInvest’s exit signals the conclusion of an impactful partnership. As a leading pan-African private equity firm with operations spanning 38 African countries, AfricInvest provided strategic guidance, operational support, and access to vital networks within the financial and fintech sectors. Their investment helped transform MDP from a traditional industrial player to a technology-driven leader in the fintech ecosystem.
Ismail Talbi, Senior Partner at AfricInvest, said, “We believed in MDP’s vision to evolve into a payment processing powerhouse and played a key role in that transformation. Today, MDP is a cornerstone of Egypt’s fintech and banking landscape, actively advancing the country’s financial inclusion goals.”
Skander Oueslati, Chief Investment Officer at AfricInvest, added, “Our commitment to driving regional connectivity and supporting companies’ pan-African expansion shaped our partnership with MDP. We helped open doors in sub-Saharan Africa, enabling MDP to build local partnerships and scale effectively.”
On the new partnership, Mohamed Sadek, Managing Partner at LCP, shared, “We are excited to back MDP’s founders as they pursue their vision of becoming the preferred partner for financial institutions across the region. With the expertise of Lorax and our co-investors, we are confident in supporting MDP’s next phase of growth — focusing on technology investment, product innovation, and geographic expansion.”
About MDP
MDP is a leading provider of card issuing and digital payment processing platforms. It offers businesses an end-to-end payment infrastructure solution, from personalized card production to secure financial transaction processing and digital payment services. Empowering over 200 banks and 60 fintech companies, MDP is recognized for accelerating payment experiences with scalable, secure, and innovative technology. Headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, MDP has a presence in more than 40 countries worldwide.
About AfricInvest
AfricInvest is a premier pan-African investment platform active across private equity, venture capital, private credit, blended finance, and listed equities. Over 30 years, AfricInvest has raised USD 2.3 billion, financing over 230 companies and creating sustainable value across Africa. With a 100-strong team operating across three continents, AfricInvest focuses on driving productivity, job creation, and inclusive development.
About Lorax Capital Partners
Lorax Capital Partners (LCP) is a Cairo-based private equity firm with a strong track record in growth investments, having executed transactions exceeding USD 46 billion. With deep expertise in financial services across the Middle East and Africa, LCP partners with visionary founders to fuel long-term strategic growth and operational excellence.
For more information, please contact:
- MDP: Contactus@mdp.global
- AfricInvest: ann.wyman@africinvest.com
- Lorax Capital Partners: info@loraxcapitalpartners.com
