Investing in Sub-Saharan shares: reckless gamble or exciting opportunity?

A young, rapidly growing market, in terms of both consumer numbers and their real incomes – forecast by the World Bank to grow by about 4% each year – and a workforce which is rapidly up-skilling yet whose wages remain highly competitive by international standards – what's not to like?

Well, quite a lot, actually. Variable and at times dubious standards of corporate governance; social instability reflecting highly unequal wealth and income distribution; alleged human rights abuses; and the reputation of many countries on the continent as basket cases.

Which brings us to the $64 million question – is investing in sub-Saharan Africa a reckless gamble or a shrewdly calculated risk which could reap huge dividends? In this lunchtime talk, Michael Nevin will review the Index of the Top 35 quoted companies by market captalisation in Sub-Saharan Africa ex-RSA - the SUSHA-35 - to consider this question. The SUSHA-35 was set at a base value of 100 on January 1st 2025. Where will it be on January 8th 2026?

This half-hour lunchtime talk complemented by excellent French cuisine offered at very reasonable prices at Le Bistrot, Edinburgh.

The programme is as follows:

12:30 PM: Doors open.

12:45 PM to 1:15 PM: Lunchtime talk: 'Investing in sub-Saharan Africa – the opportunities and the threats.' The talk will review the performance of the SUSHA-35: the top 35 sub-Saharan stocks by market capitalisation during 2025, wherever in the world they are listed, and look at seven shares within the SUSHA-35 index that are listed in London, and therefore can be bought and sold by UK investors for ther SIPPS and Isas.

1:00 PM: Lunch is served.

1:15 PM: As the main course is served, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers and discussion.

1:45 - 2:00 PM: Dessert.

MENU

Entrée:

· Soup à l’onion

· Terrine de Campagne

· Calamars Frits

· Salade de Betteraves (V)

· Quiches (choice of Lorraine ham-bacon cheese; Goat cheese & tomato; Salmon & herbs)

· Moules Marinières

· Le Camembert Frittes

Plat Principal:

· Poisson du Jour

· Coq au Vin

· Beef Bourguignon

· Hachis Vegetarien (V)

· Saucisse de Toulouse

· Nicoise Salad (V)

Dessert:

· Selection of ice cream

· Selection of cakes – (choose between) Tarte au citron; Gâteau aux chocolate; Tarte aux fruits

c 2:15 PM: Close. After lunch is concluded, anyone who so wishes is welcome to enjoy a post-prandial digestif.

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