BluePeak invests $16 million in Côte d’Ivoire’s Groupe Centaures to scale sustainable logistics across West Africa

The deal is structured as a sustainability-linked loan tied to measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.

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BluePeak Private Capital, an Africa-focused investment firm, has committed $16 million to Groupe Centaures, a leading logistics provider in Côte d’Ivoire. The deal is structured as a sustainability-linked loan tied to measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.

The transaction represents the second investment from BluePeak’s second fund, underscoring the firm’s continued deployment momentum and focus on scalable, impact-driven opportunities across the region. By tying the loan to hard emissions targets, BluePeak says it is embedding accountability into the capital itself, a departure from conventional private credit deals where sustainability outcomes are often aspirational rather than contractual.

Through this financing structure, the partnership aims to support reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per unit transported, improvement in fuel efficiency and operational optimisation, and the strengthening of internal systems for carbon accounting and ESG management.

Beyond the sustainability goals, Groupe Centaures is expected to continue contributing to stronger regional connectivity and trade flows, quality job creation in a critical sector, and the development of a more resilient logistics platform in Côte d’Ivoire.

Across Côte d’Ivoire and the broader West African region, logistics and transport play a critical role in enabling trade, food security, and industrial development. However, the sector faces structural challenges, including carbon-intensive operations driven by inefficient routing and aging fleets, operational fragmentation leading to higher costs and delays, and increasing pressure from rising trade volumes and urbanisation.

Walid Cherif, Managing Partner at BluePeak Private Capital, said, “Logistics is a cornerstone of economic development in West Africa, yet it remains both fragmented and carbon-intensive. Through this investment, we are supporting a leading local platform in scaling operations while embedding measurable sustainability outcomes into its growth trajectory.”

Groupe Centaures is a third-generation, family-owned logistics company in Côte d’Ivoire, known widely for its crown jewel Les Centaures Routiers. It is one of the few leading local players providing end-to-end services across road transport, warehousing, lifting, and container management.

According to Acturoutes, the group already operates the largest truck fleet in Côte d’Ivoire, with 700 vehicles, and has been serving the country’s freight corridors for 70 years. Its reach extends to the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro, handling sensitive cargo such as hydrocarbons and chemical substances.

In a direct response to growing demand and rising freight volumes across the country, the firm committed roughly $8.3 million to renew and expand its fleet in 2023. The financing from Bluepeak not only helps Groupe Centaures scale its operations but also push towards measurable emissions reductions.

“This partnership marks an important step in our development as we continue to strengthen our operational capabilities and invest in more efficient and sustainable logistics solutions. Aligning our growth with clear environmental targets is fully consistent with our long-term vision,” said Olivier Delsuc, CEO, Groupe Centaures.

BluePeak Private Capital provides flexible capital solutions to mid-market companies, with a strong focus on integrating sustainability and impact considerations into its investment approach. The Groupe Centaures deal fits squarely within that mandate; backing an established, locally rooted business while using the financing structure itself as a lever for measurable climate outcomes.