Billionaire Prateek Suri bets on Kenya in Africa energy push

Billionaire Prateek Suri.

Billionaire Prateek Suri is using Kenya as the base for his company’s expansion into Africa’s energy and technology markets.

Suri leads Maser Group, Africa-based technology and infrastructure company that distributes LED televisions in Kenya and invests in energy projects to improve electricity access in urban and rural areas.

“Power is the foundation of progress,” said Suri.

Maser’s work in Kenya supports government plans to expand grid connections and invest in renewable energy. The company also focuses on counties with limited access to power while working with businesses in Nairobi.

The company was acquired for five billion dollars by SCG Asia, a Singapore-based infrastructure and logistics investment conglomerate with projects in energy and transport across Africa and Asia.

Beyond Kenya, Maser operates in East, West and Central Africa. In Nigeria, it has partnered with government agencies and private institutions on energy supply projects.

 In Tanzania and Rwanda, the company works in energy, logistics and digital connectivity.

“Every country in Africa has a different rhythm, but the ambition is the same: progress, opportunity and self-sufficiency,” noted Suri.

Through Maser’s investment arm, MDR Investments, Suri has supported businesses in technology, logistics and manufacturing across Africa. The Maser Foundation has funded digital literacy programs in Kenya and skills training in Nigeria.

“Africa is not the future, it is the present, and we are just getting started,” said Suri.

Suri’s net worth is reported at 1.4 billion dollars.

 Maser’s expansion comes as African governments seek to improve access to energy and technology to drive economic growth.

Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and Rwanda are investing in energy and technology to expand local economies.

Maser’s projects will test how foreign-backed ventures can meet local needs while improving energy and technology access.