Top 20 private education groups run by African tycoons

At a Glance

African tycoons are reshaping private education through large, high-impact school networks.
Institutions offer British curricula, tech-driven learning, and strong regional or global footprints.
Investments span early learning to tertiary education across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and beyond.

Top 20 private education groups run by African tycoons

Education has emerged as one of Africa’s most powerful tools for economic development, unlocking human capital, driving social mobility, and preparing a new generation for leadership and innovation.

Across the continent, a wave of private investment in education—particularly in premium and mid-tier private schools—has transformed the sector into a magnet for capital, talent, and policy attention.

Behind this transformation are visionary African tycoons and entrepreneurial families who’ve built some of the most successful education empires on the continent.

These individuals—often self-made pioneers, industrialists, or professionals—have founded institutions that now shape millions of young minds across nursery, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

From Nadim Nsouli’s pan-African Inspired Education empire to Chris van der Merwe’s Curro Holdings and Mary Okello’s trailblazing Makini Schools, these founders have not only generated wealth but redefined educational excellence across Africa.

Many of their institutions boast international curricula, world-class facilities, and tech-driven learning models that rival global standards, while also expanding access and inclusion.

As Africa’s growing middle class prioritizes quality education, these 20 school chains, chronicled by Shore Africa—each rooted in bold vision and local insight—have become not just centers of learning, but also billion-shilling businesses shaping the continent’s future.

1. Inspired Education Group
Founder: Nadim Nsouli (Pan-Africa)
Brief details: Founded by Lebanese-British financier Nadim Nsouli in 2013, Inspired Education has grown from four schools in South Africa to over 111 globally, including Wetherby School in London.

2. ADvTECH Group
Founder: Geoff Whyte (South Africa)
Brief details: Africa’s largest private education provider, ADvTECH operates over 118 institutions—such as Crawford International and Rosebank College—across multiple countries.

3. Curro Holdings
Founder: Chris van der Merwe (South Africa). It is partly owned also by Jannie Mouton
Brief details: Founded in 1998, Curro Holdings runs more than 70 campuses in South Africa, offering nursery to tertiary education through a range of learning models. It also has 50 percent stake in Botswana-based BA Isago University

4. Honoris United Universities
Backed by: Actis Capital (Pan-Africa)
Brief details: Established by UK-based private equity firm Actis, Honoris is a pan-African network of 14 tertiary institutions across 10 countries, serving over 57,000 students. This include the Nile University of Nigeria.

5. SPARK Schools
Investors: Creadev & Pearson (South Africa)
Brief details: Founded in 2012, SPARK is a rapidly growing network of 26 affordable private schools in South Africa, using a blended learning model focused on academic excellence and tech integration.

6. Braeburn Schools
Founder: Terry Childs (Kenya & Tanzania)
Launched in 1979, Braeburn operates 11 international schools across Kenya and Tanzania, offering British and international curricula to a diverse student population.

7. Makini Schools
Founder: Mary Okello (Kenya)
Brief details: Founded in 1978 by Mary Okello, Makini Schools evolved into a leading education group before selling a 71 percent majority stake to UK-based Scholé Limited and South Africa’s ADvTECH. The deal, completed on May 1, 2018, was valued at Ksh1 billion ($7.7 million), marking a major milestone in Kenya’s private education sector.

8. Riara Group of Schools
Founders: Daniel & Eddah Gachukia (Kenya)
Brief details: Founded in 1974 as a single nursery school, Riara has grown into a prominent education network, including Riara University, with fees reaching up to Ksh221,000 ($1,708) per term. In a bold move signaling rising international interest in Kenya’s education sector, Sweden’s largest private school chain, Actus Education Holdings, has acquired the Riara Group of Schools as part of its expansion into Kenya and the broader East African region.

9. Peponi School
Owner: Kenyatta Family (Kenya)
Brief details: Among Kenya’s most prestigious schools, Peponi is owned by the influential Kenyatta family, with annual fees exceeding Ksh3 million ($23,185).

10. Pioneer Group of Schools
Founder: Peter Munga (Kenya)
Brief details: Equity Bank founder Peter Munga launched Pioneer Schools in 2000, expanding into secondary schools and Pioneer International University.

11. Woodcreek School
Founder: Peter Karoki (Kenya)
Brief details: Founded in 2018 by Kenyan businessman Peter Karoki, Woodcreek School delivers the British curriculum with termly fees ranging from KSh139,500 ($1,078) to KSh1.3 million ($10,047), positioning itself as one of Nairobi’s fast-growing premium schools.

12. Brookhouse Schools
Founder: Mehta Family (Kenya)
Brief details: Established in 1981 by the Mehta family, Brookhouse rose to become a top-tier international school brand in Kenya. It has established presence also in Lekki Penninsula II, Lagos Nigeria. The family later sold the group to UK-based Educas in a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of shillings.

13. Hillcrest International Schools
Founder: Dorothy Noad (Kenya)
Brief details: Founded in 1965 by educator Dorothy Noad, Hillcrest was later acquired by the late political icon Kenneth Matiba before being sold to Dubai-based GEMS Education for Ksh2.6 billion ($20,094), becoming part of a global education powerhouse.

14. St. Andrew’s School, Turi
Founder: Lavers Family (Kenya)
Brief details: Established in 1931 by Peter and Jean Lavers, St. Andrew’s Turi spans over 500 acres in Kenya’s Rift Valley. It remains one of East Africa’s most prestigious boarding schools, rooted in British educational tradition.

15. Chrisland Schools
Founder: Winifred Awosika (Nigeria)
Brief details: Founded by education pioneer Winifred Awosika, Chrisland Schools has become one of Nigeria’s most expansive private school networks, with campuses across Lagos and Abuja offering British-Nigerian hybrid curricula.

16. Greensprings School
Founder: Lai Koiki (Nigeria)
Brief details: Founded in 1985 by educationist Lai Koiki, Greensprings School is a leading British international school in Nigeria, serving learners from preschool to sixth form across multiple campuses in Lagos.

17. British International School Lagos
Founder: Oladipo Jadesimi (Nigeria)
Brief details: Launched in 2001 by Nigerian oil executive Oladipo Jadesimi, the British International School Lagos is renowned for academic rigor, modern infrastructure, and a strong international outlook.

18. Corona Schools
Founders: Nigerian Professionals (Nigeria)
Brief details: Founded in 1955 by a collective of Nigerian and expatriate professionals, Corona Schools has evolved into a prestigious network of private schools known for excellence in education and leadership development.

19. Al-Azhar University
Founder: Al-Azhar Foundation (Egypt)
Brief details: One of the oldest and most influential Islamic institutions globally, Al-Azhar University blends Islamic scholarship with modern disciplines. It has extended its educational reach across Africa, impacting both religious and secular education.

20. International Community School
Founder: Tunde Akinyemi (Ghana)
Brief details: Established in 2000 by Tunde Akinyemi, the International Community School in Ghana offers the British curriculum and has grown into a prominent institution attracting students across West Africa.