In conversation with Marlene Pillay
STANDARD BANK
institutions and private pension funds are keen to deploy capital. They have appetite for property deals. The next two to three years will be significant for capital deployment into the property sector.” Marlene acknowledges several structural shifts reshaping the industry. Industrial property has emerged as the strongest asset class.
This uplift and stabilisation is underpinned by positive signs, which Marlene recently saw first-hand at the Africa Property Investment Summit held in Cape Town. Engaging with numerous speakers and delegates at the summit, she found a consensus: real estate players are standing ready to deploy capital into the property sector. “Banks, development finance
survival. Now we are entering a period of greater stability.” She sees 2025 as a potential inflection point. “In my mind, it’s almost a period of greater stability. And what that means is it’s not a period where you’re going to see the huge uplift yet, but it’s a sign of the uplift to come.” Marlene expects uplift from 2026 onwards.
drag of Eskom loadshedding. Yet Marlene highlights how real estate companies used the downturn period to strengthen balance sheets, reduce debt levels and improve asset quality. “The sector has strengthened balance sheets, focused on enhancing the quality of assets and improving occupancies, and found ways to make it work. That period was about
Property Portfolio Summary Selected properties from Standard Bank's property portfolio
Land Parcels
Asset Name : Muxima Description : 60,000 m 2 land parcel in Viana, Angola for a 26,000 m 2 retail development Location: Luanda, Angola
Asset Name : Patriota Description : Parcel of land proposed for a 15,000 m 2 GLA retail centre in Benfica Location: Luanda, Angola Asset Name : Royal Gardens Description : 22,000 m 2 parcel of land intended for a 9,000sqm GLA retail development Location: Lagos, Nigeria
GLA : 13,000 m 2 office development Key Tenants : Standard Chartered Location: Accra, Ghana Completed : 2018
GLA : 27,000 m 2 office development Key Tenants : RMB, Ericsson, Tek Experts and Oando Location: Lagos, Nigeria Completed : 2016
GLA : 14,000 m 2 retail development Key Tenants : Shoprite, Miniso, Mr Price, Film House Location : Lagos, Nigeria Completed : 2016
GLA : 43,000 m 2 retail development Key Tenants : Game, Shoprite, Woolworths, Ackermans Location : Lusaka, Zambia Completed : 1999
October 2025 | Issue 141 | Asset Magazine 149
148 Asset Magazine | Issue 141 | October 2025
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