On February 17, 2026, Enko Education, founded by Cameroonian financiers Alain and Cyrille Nkontchou, announced the closing of a $46 million fundraising, approximately FCFA 25.5 billion. This financial operation aims to support the expansion of the group's international school network in sub-Saharan Africa.
The financing includes a $22 million loan from South African bank Standard Bank. According to Enko Education, these funds will be used to accelerate the expansion of the network and support an ambitious growth trajectory. The stated goal is to triple the number of students, reaching 20,000 learners by 2029.
Cyrille Nkontchou stated that Enko Education is an ideal partner for school owners who wish to pass on their institution to a group that respects their vision and legacy, while providing the necessary resources for growth and success.
To date, Enko Education has 16 schools in 10 sub-Saharan African countries, including Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. In Cameroon, the network includes the La Gaité school complex in Yaoundé.
The group promotes a selective program preparing for the International Baccalaureate. According to its promoters, this educational model focused on academic excellence aims to improve the quality of education in Africa and facilitate students' access to the best universities and colleges in the world. Enko Education claims that more than 80% of its network's graduates have been admitted to over 600 universities worldwide, including Sciences Po, the University of Toronto, the University of Cape Town and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Founded in 2013 by Cameroonian Cyrille Nkontchou and Frenchman Éric Pignot, Enko Education's mission is to increase access for African youth to the world's best universities through quality international education. The network offers an innovative and affordable model of international secondary schools, offering the International Baccalaureate and enabling local students to launch towards the world's best universities. Enko Education particularly targets the African middle class, offering scholarships to 10 to 20% of its students.
Enko Education plans to employ over 870 teachers by 2025, contributing to local economic growth. The African international school network aims to quadruple the number of its students, while enabling states to capitalize on the continent's demographic dividend.
