FDI into Africa’s real estate sector has been steadily increasing since 2011, according to data from greenfield investment monitor fDi Markets. From 2011 to 2014, tracked projects have increased by 187.5%. Mozambique was the African country that received the most FDI in this period, with a total of 11 projects, followed by Egypt, with eight investments.

According to fDi Markets, no African city had more than three FDI real estate projects in total in the four-year period. Casablanca in Morocco, Kampala in Uganda and Accra in Ghana all rank top for destination city.

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The UK and Luxembourg were the top non-African investors in the region from 2011 to 2014, with fDi Markets tracking eight projects from both countries, followed by the United Arab Emirates with seven investments. South Africa was the top investing country overall representing 17.24% of all projects tracked in the period.

The majority of FDI real estate projects were for commercial and institutional building construction, which covered 37.93% of the total share of the market. This was followed by the real estate services subsector with 25.86%. No residential building construction was tracked in Africa for 2011 and 2012, and during the four-year period this subsector only held 10.34% share of the real estate market.

Despite six companies carrying out construction activities in Africa in 2013 compared with only three companies in 2012, investment figures dropped in 2013 by 60.4% with only $495m invested compared with $1.25bn the previous year.

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