Private equity (PE) firms exiting East African investments are enjoying dollar returns of up to 23 percent. : Private equity (PE) firms exiting East African investments are enjoying dollar returns of up to 23 percent, underlining the attractiveness of the region for venture capital. PE activity in the region has grown significantly in the past decade, with majority of those that entered the market at the beginning of the decade now exiting after achieving the normal six to eight-year investment cycle for such funds.