Experian To Acquire Compuscan in Africa

Experian, the global information services company, has announced that it has agreed to acquire Compuscan (CSH Group (Pty) Limited), one of the leading credit bureau and information services businesses in Africa, for a cash consideration of ~$263m.

“We are delighted to announce that Experian has agreed to acquire Compuscan. We have a long track record of investment in South Africa, where for many years we have helped businesses thrive through the provision of credit data and decisioning tools. Millions of people across Africa need access to financial services. By combining forces with Compuscan, we will be better positioned to serve the people and businesses of this region and be an enabler of growth in consumer and business credit, identity management and financial inclusion. This is an important transaction for our business in South Africa and will provide opportunities more broadly across the African continent. We look forward to welcoming the Compuscan team to Experian.” – CEO Brian Cassin

Founded in 1994, Compuscan is one of the leading providers of credit information and decision analytics in South Africa, with operations across seven key geographies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Compuscan also provides marketing services and has recently launched a free credit report service for consumers.

The combined customer bases will also be highly complementary. Experian’s customers in South Africa are mainly large financial institutions and telecommunications operators, while Compuscan has an attractive position in the dynamic microlending space, as well as in the retail and insurance sectors.

Compuscan is expected to generate $35m in revenue this year, growing $38m in year-end 2019. This compares to Experian revenues in South Africa of around $40m.