Mi Vida Homes Limited has announced the signing of a share purchase agreement for a management-led buyout of the business from Actis, the global sustainable infrastructure investor. The transaction, which remains subject to regulatory approval, represents a key milestone for the Nairobi-based affordable and mid-market housing developer that has been at the forefront of institutional real estate in Africa since 2018.
Although the valuation of the transaction was not disclosed, Mi Vida Homes said the move underscores the company’s ambition to expand its footprint across Africa while strengthening its position as a leading player in sustainable residential development.
According to Samuel Kariuki, Chief Executive Officer of Mi Vida Homes, the buyout marks an important chapter in the firm’s evolution from a joint venture platform to a fully independent, management-led enterprise.
“This is the first such transaction involving a residential development platform in our market,” said Kariuki. “It reinforces the viability of institutional home builders in Africa and demonstrates that these developers can be successfully incubated, scaled, and developed to investment-grade quality.”
He added that Mi Vida’s strategy has always been rooted in delivering high-quality, sustainable housing solutions designed to meet the needs of Africa’s rapidly growing urban population. “From inception, our ambition has been to deliver high-quality, sustainable housing to meet diverse community needs with the highest standards of governance and financial discipline,” he said.
Actis, which co-founded Mi Vida Homes in 2018, described the buyout as both a validation of the company’s original vision and a testament to the institutionalisation of Africa’s residential real estate market.
Ravi Rughani, Principal at Actis, said: “We are immensely proud of our partnership with Mi Vida Homes and the journey we have undertaken together since inception. This transaction is not only a validation of the vision we set out to achieve in 2018 but also a clear demonstration of how Africa’s residential real estate sector has matured over the past six years.”
He noted that Mi Vida has evolved into a platform with investment-grade governance, a robust balance sheet, and a well-diversified funding base, attracting both local and international investors.
Rughani added that Actis remains confident in Mi Vida’s management team and believes their “vision, execution capability, and commitment to excellence” will drive the company’s continued growth.
The Mi Vida Homes buyout highlights a broader trend in Africa’s property sector, an increasing shift toward institutional housing platforms that focus on affordability, sustainability, and financial discipline.
Louis Deppe, Partner at Actis, said: “We believe this transaction highlights the depth of opportunity for long-term capital formation in African real estate and validates the strength of a model where global investors incubate, institutionalise and ultimately transition platforms to local ownership,”
With a strong project pipeline and a diversified capital base, Mi Vida says it is well-positioned to scale further and deepen its market impact.
Over the years, the company has delivered a portfolio of developments targeting Kenya’s growing middle-income segment while maintaining a focus on green and energy-efficient design principles.
“We believe this transaction demonstrates that institutional residential developers can thrive in Africa,” said Kariuki. “We have proven that platforms built on strong governance and sustainability can deliver value for both investors and homeowners.”
Mi Vida Homes’ management said the buyout will enable the company to pursue a robust growth trajectory anchored on disciplined capital allocation and expansion into new markets. The firm aims to maintain its commitment to affordability while integrating innovative housing solutions that cater to the evolving needs of urban communities.
The company’s model aligns with Kenya’s ongoing push to close the housing gap and meet the government’s target of delivering 200,000 affordable homes annually.
Actis, meanwhile, continues to invest heavily in sustainable infrastructure and real estate across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with a portfolio that includes energy, logistics, and digital infrastructure businesses.
“Actis’ Africa Real Estate business has been a pioneer in evolving from investor-developers to true platform builders and investors in Africa, one of the first global investors to execute this strategy at scale across the continent,” Louis added.
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