( CNN ) Sophisticated , glamorous and spacious -- when the super-rich go house-hunting they are searching for something special . Real estate in London 's swankier suburbs can catch a buyers ' eye . Mayfair , Kensington and Chelsea have long been the stomping ground of the elite -- and are now welcoming a new wave of African investors . `` The Africans who are coming into London now are Africans who themselves have worked for their money , '' explains Bimpe Nkontchou , a British-Nigerian wealth manager based in London . `` They have grown in industry and are actually part of the exciting story of the African renaissance , '' she continues . `` It 's bringing to London the best of the continent . '' These investors are having a considerable impact on London 's property market and they mainly come from just six countries : Nigeria , Ghana , Congo , Gabon , Cameroon and Senegal . Of these , Nigerians are splashing out the most cash when it comes to bricks and mortar in the British capital -- typically spending between $ 22 and $ 37 million on securing a property , according to luxury property agents Beauchamp Estates . Their research shows that over the past three years Africans have spent over $ 900 million on luxury residential property in London . `` The new international African is very well-traveled , '' explains Nkontchou . `` Educated in the U.S. , UK and different parts of Europe their taste is definitely more modern and clean . '' 'Safe-Haven ' Owning a home in post codes like W1 or W8 -- around the corner from Kensington Palace -- means more than having a place to lay your head . These buildings are investments which are expected to gain even bigger value in the coming years . High-end auction house Sotheby 's says that foreign investors see London as a `` safe haven '' for prime property investments , and ranks the city as the second most important hub for ultra high-net-worth homes . The only spot more important on the planet is New York City . For evidence that London still attracts high-end buyers , look no further than the sale of a penthouse in Mayfair which fetched $ 40 million earlier this year . Educated thinking . As well as an intelligent investment , many of the African buyers see these houses as a way of maintaining long standing cultural ties with London -- and it 's here they want to send their children to school . Harrow , Eton , Cheltenham Ladies College are all among the list of respected institutions that teach the offspring of wealthy Africans . The Nigerian Embassy in London calculates that Nigerian nationals now spend over $ 446 million per year on fees , tutoring and accommodation at British schools and university . `` West African clients are very much driven by the need to educate their children , '' says Nkontchou . `` Education usually means putting the children on an international stage , and that 's one reason why this is feeding into the demand for property in London . '' Indeed , education industry experts ICEF Monitor say there were over 17,500 Nigerians studying in British universities in 2012 -- about 1,000 more than the 2009/10 academic session . And experts are expecting this trend to continue . `` Virtually all the transactions are for end use , not rental investment , which indicates that the African buyer market in London has significant room for growth , '' says Gary Hersham , director at Beauchamp Estates . `` African buyers or luxury tenants in London are currently where the Russians and Ukrainians were five years ago . They have the resources and desire to purchase or rental luxury homes in Prime Central London , '' he adds . `` It is going to be the African century . `` More from Marketplace Africa . Read this : Africa 's green lean speed machines . Read this : African designs rocking art world . Editor 's Note : CNN Marketplace Africa covers the macro trends impacting the region and also focuses on the continent 's key industries and corporations .
Wealthy African are investing in some of London 's most upscale real estate . Some Nigerians are spending as much as $ 37 million on houses . Property experts say Africans investment in London is set to grow .