Tech billionaire Prateek Suri bets big on Africa as his key growth frontier

(L) Prateek Suri, Chairman of Maser Group and CEO of MDR Investments, with Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. [File Courtesy]

Prateek Suri, Chairman of Maser Group and CEO of MDR Investments, recently met Faustin-Archange Touadéra following the group’s growing expansion in Africa’s mining sector after securing gold mining interests in the Central African Republic and Ghana.

The meeting marked another important step in MDR Investments’ long-term strategy to strengthen its presence within Africa’s natural resources industry. During the interaction, Suri expressed gratitude and took blessings from the President while reaffirming the group’s commitment to responsible investments and long-term partnerships across the continent.

Mining remained a key focus of the discussions, with both sides also exploring future opportunities in healthcare, infrastructure development, renewable energy, and broader economic cooperation aimed at supporting growth and employment generation in the region. The group has also increasingly focused on clean energy and sustainable infrastructure projects as part of its long-term Africa strategy.

Often described as one of the richest Indians based in Africa and among the youngest billionaires associated with the continent’s business landscape, Suri has built a diversified business presence through Maser Group and MDR Investments across sectors, including consumer electronics, logistics, infrastructure, mining, renewable energy, and private investments. MDR Investments has increasingly positioned itself as a major Africa-focused investment platform pursuing large-scale opportunities through strategic partnerships and development-led projects.

The group’s long-term confidence in Africa is also reflected through its broader technology and infrastructure ambitions. A Maser Group subsidiary has already acquired large parcels of land across parts of Africa for future AI and data centre developments, underlining the company’s belief in Africa’s digital and industrial future.

During the meeting, Ben Chia also expressed strong confidence in the group’s Africa strategy, stating, “After the success of Suri’s understanding of Africa, we are ready to invest more and more.” His remarks reflected growing investor confidence in MDR Investments’ long-term vision and expansion across the continent.

Following the group’s latest gold mining developments in the Central African Republic and Ghana, MDR Investments is now exploring additional mining rights and expansion opportunities in other emerging African markets. Sources close to the developments indicate that the company is evaluating long-term investments connected to mineral exploration, industrial infrastructure, renewable energy ecosystems, and resource-linked economic projects across the continent.

Alongside business expansion, Suri also highlighted the initiatives being carried out through the Maser Foundation, the philanthropic arm focused on healthcare, women's empowerment, and child education across Africa. He noted that beyond commercial success, creating meaningful impact for communities remains central to the group’s broader vision for Africa.

The meeting further reflects the growing confidence international investors are placing in Africa’s mining, clean energy, and development sectors, with MDR Investments continuing to position itself as a long-term strategic player in the continent’s evolving economic landscape.