Africans with at least $50 million in investable assets are increasingly allocating capital to real estate as a strategy for wealth preservation, portfolio diversification, and long-term income generation, a new wealth report has stated.
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The report released by Africa’s largest lender by assets, Standard Bank- shows that ultra-high-net-worth individuals across the continent are ramping up investments in residential, commercial, and industrial properties despite persistent economic and geopolitical uncertainties.
According to Chris Browne, Head of Wealth and Investment at Standard Bank, the number of residential and commercial properties purchased by the bank’s ultra-rich clients in South Africa more than doubled in the 12 months ending September 2025 compared with the previous year.
What the report is saying
The surge in acquisitions followed the South African Reserve Bank’s interest rate cuts that began in 2024, creating more favorable financing conditions and improving investor sentiment.
Property demand has remained resilient even amid renewed inflation concerns linked to geopolitical tensions, including the conflict involving Iran, which has heightened fears of a potential return to monetary tightening.
Browne noted that wealthy investors often view periods of economic and market volatility as opportunities to acquire assets at attractive valuations.
- “Oftentimes, volatile micro and macro conditions provide them with buying opportunities that would not otherwise be available,” he said, adding that many of the bank’s wealthy clients maintain a long-term investment horizon focused on preserving and transferring wealth across generations.
A look at the biggest hubs for millionaires
South Africa remains the continent’s largest wealth hub, with more than 41,000 individuals holding liquid investable assets of at least $1 million, according to data from Henley & Partners’ Africa Wealth Report.
The country continues to attract significant property investment from high-net-worth individuals, particularly in the Western Cape province, where house prices have risen sharply.
- The report revealed that the average value of residential properties purchased by wealthy South Africans increased by 38% during the review period. The Western Cape, home to Cape Town, the Cape Winelands, and the Whale Coast, has emerged as one of Africa’s fastest-growing millionaire regions, benefiting from strong demand for premium residential real estate.
- Beyond South Africa, wealthy investors in key African economies such as Kenya and Ghana are also increasing their exposure to property. Demand is particularly strong for Grade-A office developments, farmland, and residential real estate, which are increasingly being used as hedges against currency depreciation and broader economic uncertainty.
According to Browne, interest-rate movements have had limited influence on property acquisition decisions among wealthy investors in East Africa, where long-term capital preservation remains a key priority.
What you should know
The report highlighted that Africa’s wealthy distinguish themselves through their ability to navigate currency volatility, regulatory changes, and political risks while continuing to build and protect wealth.
Earlier reports by Nairametrics in 2025 highlighted that South Africa, with a gross domestic product of about $400 billion was already considering widening the scope of high-wealth taxation as part of efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation and address fiscal pressures.
At the time, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) disclosed that it was reviewing the framework of its High Wealth Individual (HWI) unit, which covers taxpayers with gross assets of at least 75 million rand (about $4.3 million), with signals that the threshold could be lowered to broaden coverage.
The discussion came against a broader continental backdrop of rising wealth concentration and rapid millionaire growth. Africa, with a population projected to surpass 1.5 billion and long-term economic forecasts pointing toward a $29 trillion economy by 2050, continues to generate high-net-worth individuals at an accelerating pace.
