Business Forum 2026: Mauritius Pitches Itself as Africa’s Financial Bridge

Mauritius has intensified its campaign to become the preferred gateway for investment into Africa, with government officials, financial executives and international investors using Mauritius Business Forum 2026 to showcase the island nation as a trusted platform for financing, trade and cross-border expansion across the continent.

Speaking at the forum, Chief Executive Officer of Mauritius Finance, Faraz Rojid, said Mauritius has evolved into a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world, combining its strategic geographic location with a sophisticated financial ecosystem developed over the past three decades.

According to Rojid, Mauritius sits between Africa and Asia and is within four to six hours of major commercial hubs such as Cape Town and Dubai. Its position along key maritime trade routes, he said, has helped transform the country into an internationally connected business and financial centre serving investors across multiple regions.

Rojid noted that financial services now contribute about 13 per cent of Mauritius’ Gross Domestic Product, alongside tourism, manufacturing and logistics, making the sector one of the pillars of the island’s economy. He said the country has deliberately built a stable and transparent investment environment designed to attract global capital into Africa.

“Mauritius has positioned itself not only as a tax-efficient jurisdiction but also as a secure and reliable platform for international investment,” he said.

He identified the country’s political, economic and social stability, together with its regulatory framework, as major attractions for international businesses. Mauritius operates without exchange controls, maintains a headline corporate tax rate of 15 per cent, and allows certain foreign-sourced income to qualify for exemptions that can reduce the effective tax burden, making it competitive for multinational investors.

The financial ecosystem is equally substantial. Rojid disclosed that between 15,000 and 18,000 highly skilled bilingual professionals work across Mauritius’ banking and non-banking financial services industries. The country also hosts more than 20,000 companies conducting business beyond its borders, representing an estimated $350 billion in investment stock.

He added that Mauritius is home to over 1,000 global funds and collective investment schemes managing assets worth more than $80 billion. These structures include holding companies, special-purpose vehicles, private equity and venture capital funds, as well as wealth management solutions tailored for international investors.

Beyond tax efficiency, Rojid argued that Mauritius offers strong legal protection for capital. Its hybrid legal system blends English common law and French civil law, while bilateral investment treaties provide safeguards against expropriation, discriminatory treatment and restrictions on capital repatriation, alongside access to international arbitration for investment disputes. The country also offers Sharia-compliant financial products, complemented by a mature banking, insurance and dual stock exchange system.

The forum also highlighted growing commercial ties between Mauritius and Nigeria. Rojid revealed that Mauritius currently facilitates approximately $3.4 billion in investments into Nigeria, while an estimated $4 billion in Nigerian capital is channelled through Mauritius into other African and emerging markets. He noted that this relationship has continued to grow despite the absence of a ratified Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between the two countries.

Addressing concerns about regulatory credibility, Rojid recalled Mauritius’ previous placement on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. He said coordinated reforms involving government agencies, law enforcement and the private sector enabled the country to exit the list within 18 months, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining international compliance while preserving an attractive investment climate.

Participants at the Business Forum concluded that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents one of the continent’s greatest investment opportunities, with Mauritius seeking to serve as a regional headquarters destination for companies expanding into African markets.

As global capital increasingly looks toward Africa’s long-term growth potential, Mauritius is positioning itself not merely as an offshore financial centre, but as a strategic partner in continental development. The challenge now is ensuring that the investment flowing through the island translates into productive industries, infrastructure, innovation and inclusive economic growth across Africa.