From Aid to Investment: Africa Investment Forum Builds $225B Momentum in Making Continent Bankable
Buoyed by last year's successful Africa Investment Forum's Market Days that generated $29.2 billion of investment interest, its nine founding partners are bracing for an even bigger and better event later this year.
The 2024 Africa Investment Forum Market Days attracted more than 2,300 investors and participants from 83 countries around the world, more than 40 boardrooms, and 15 sponsors, including investment banks, insurers, and export credit agencies. Many more sponsors are lining up for the 2025 edition.
Meeting on Monday evening in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings, the partners reflected on the Forum's remarkable seven-year journey, which has mobilized more than $225 billion in investment interest and established itself as a global investment movement for Africa.
The partners include the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Islamic Development, European Investment Bank, Trade and Development Bank, and newcomer, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
The President of the African Development Bank Group and Chairman of the Africa Investment Forum, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said, "We have elevated Africa. We have showcased Africa. We have changed perceptions on Africa," adding, "We have shown our belief in Africa, which has demonstrated to the world that indeed Africa is a bankable destination."
"Africa will not be developed by aid. It will be developed by investment,' Adesina said, a vision that has guided the Forum since its launch in 2018.
The meeting outlined how the Forum has transformed perceptions about investing in Africa while delivering high-quality deal pipelines. To date, 22 deals have closed, with 41% of the financing provided by founding partners alongside other institutional investors.
Partners also discussed the Africa Investment Forum Partnership Framework to guarantee the Forum's sustainability, The long-term governance and sustainability framework is expected to be formally signed at the May African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
As Adesina prepares to conclude his tenure as president of the African Development Bank in September, he expressed profound gratitude to the partners for their support and commitment to the Forum.
At Monday's meeting, the partners unanimously committed to the Africa Investment Forum because of its convening power to mobilize critical investments for transformative projects across the continent.
The CEO of Africa 50, Alain Ebobise spoke about the Forum's uniqueness because 'it focuses not on speeches but on people transacting in boardrooms,' adding, 'We are ready to bring on board more sponsors.'
The President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, Samaila Zubairu said, 'As Africans we have to take ownership of our development. The Africa Investment Forum is an initiative that demonstrates that.'
Boitumelo Mosako, the CEO of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, reiterated this, saying, " The only way to be certain about the future is by creating it.'
Praising last year's Market Days event as 'fantastic,' the President of the Trade and Development Bank, Admassu Tadesse, pointed to the forum's strength as a strong global brand promoting synergies among its founding partners.
Representing BADEA, the Director of Private Sector, Diab Karrar said that even though BADEA joined the Africa Investment Forum last year, they had always supported the initiative because 'we believe in it.'
The Executive Vice President of Global Trade Bank, Afreximbank, Haytham El Maayergi, expressed a strong commitment to supporting the Africa Investment Forum.
Andrew McDowell, Director General of the European Investment Bank Global, spoke about the importance of institutional collaboration, which helps institutions like his make informed decisions about investment in Africa.
"It has been my greatest honor to develop and advance the Africa Investment Forum with you all. "Let us continue to fast-track Africa's development together, now and in the future!" declared Adesina
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Photos: https://apo-opa.co/4jm3U2y
Media contact:
Emeka Anuforo,
Communication and External Relations Department,
media@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Future of business in Africa will be shaped by partnerships
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, businesses are navigating an economic environment shaped by evolving global and regional forces. Currency movements, changing capital flows, and shifts in trade dynamics continue to influence strategic decisions across industries. While these conditions introduce complexity, they also present opportunities for businesses and institutions to adapt, reposition, and grow. Recent years have seen notable adjustments in capital flows, particularly as global financial conditions tighten. According to data from the African Development Bank (AFDB), net financial flows to developing countries declined significantly in 2022, a trend reflected across multiple emerging markets. In 2023, many African currencies, including those in East Africa, came under pressure. Policymakers and financial institutions responded with targeted interventions aimed at preserving economic stability and curbing inflation. While each country's response has been tailored to its context, a common thread is the increasingly proactive role of monetary authorities in managing volatility. This coordination has been vital in restoring investor confidence and facilitating a more predictable operating environment for businesses that rely on cross-border trade, capital access, and foreign currency exposure management. These efforts are beginning to lay a foundation for more sustainable and balanced growth. Amid these developments, corporate and institutional clients are reassessing their operating models. There is a clear shift toward greater financial agility, with firms placing increased focus on liquidity management and more adaptive funding strategies. Shorter-tenor financing, particularly in trade and working capital, has gained traction as businesses seek flexibility in managing both cost and timing of capital. At the same time, currency risk mitigation, through hedging and structured treasury solutions has become a more central component of financial planning. We are also observing a shift in boardroom conversations away from purely cost-of-capital considerations toward more strategic thinking about capital structure, portfolio diversification, and risk-adjusted returns. Many clients are re-evaluating capital expenditure pipelines, not as a retreat from investment, but as a recalibration aligned to macro cycles and evolving market demand. This is particularly evident in infrastructure, manufacturing, and services sectors, where financing decisions are increasingly tied to operational agility and scenario-based planning. These trends are also redefining the role of financial institutions. The traditional transaction-driven model of banking is no longer sufficient in today's operating environment. Clients expect more: timely insights, sectoral understanding, and a partnership approach that goes beyond credit. In response, we have sharpened our focus on integrated client engagement, embedding ourselves in the realities of each business and designing financial solutions that align with both immediate needs and long-term strategy. As part of this effort, we recently hosted a regional economic forum convening clients, investors, and policymakers. The dialogue centred on practical strategies for navigating uncertainty, enhancing yield in a moderating interest rate cycle, and optimising financing structures in capital-constrained markets. The conversations underscored the importance of data-driven decision-making, and of building institutional resilience through a better understanding of both macro trends and operational risks. This form of engagement reflects a broader principle: our role must extend beyond capital provision. It includes strategic advisory, cross-market insight, and the ability to structure solutions that enable growth across varied and often complex environments. With a pan-African presence, Absa is well positioned to support clients operating across jurisdictions — whether through access to capital markets, foreign exchange and risk management capabilities, or bespoke structuring for regional and cross-border transactions. As businesses scale across the continent, there is growing demand for solutions that are both locally relevant and regionally harmonised. The emergence of initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) underscores the need for financial partners who can navigate regulatory diversity while supporting seamless cross-border execution. Looking ahead, the future of business in Sub-Saharan Africa will be shaped by the partnerships we forge today. Long-term value creation will depend on how well we understand our clients' objectives, their constraints, and the environment in which they operate. Resilience, in this context, is not simply the ability to withstand disruption. It is the capacity to recognise opportunity in changing conditions and to respond with clarity, foresight, and the right support. That is the kind of partnership we should commit to, one grounded in trust, informed by insight, and designed to endure. The writer is the Corporate and Investment Banking Managing Principal at Absa Bank Kenya Plc. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Africa Investment Forum partners sign partnership framework agreement at AfDB Group's 2025 annual meetings
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast/ -- On the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings ( founding partners of the Africa Investment Forum signed a Partnership Framework Agreement, reinforcing their collective commitment to mobilize transformative investments across the African continent. The new framework creates a clearer partnership model that sets out the roles and benefits for the founding partners. It also opens the door for expansion to new partners, ensuring everyone benefits while increasing the Forum's overall impact. Launched in 2018, the Africa Investment Forum platform has solidified its standing as Africa's premier investment marketplace for global investors and has garnered nearly $225 billion in investment interest to date. Principals of the African Development Bank Group, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) signed the agreement. The other partners are Trade and Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Afreximbank. Speaking at the signing ceremony, President of the African Development Bank Group and chairperson of the Africa Investment Forum, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said: "This agreement is a testament to our shared vision: that Africa will not be developed by aid, but by investment. The AIF has changed perceptions and proven that Africa is indeed a bankable destination." Dr Fahad Abdullah Aldossari, Chairman of BADEA's Board of Directors said: 'The signing of the AIF Framework Agreement marks a remarkable milestone to ascertain both effectiveness and efficiency as well as financial sustainability for AIF 2.0 in a bid to advance more projects to bankability and crowd-in transformative investments to the continent.' Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa 50 said: 'This signature marks our renewed commitment to support the objectives of the Africa Investment Forum, launched under the visionary leadership of President Adesina. It is a much-needed deal-making platform that helps strengthen collaborations and leverage innovative models to unlock private capital to accelerate the delivery of bankable projects on the continent. It is critical for African Institutions to support it'. 'As a Founding Partner, we are proud to see this initiative formally take shape. Through AIF, we've proven what Africa can achieve when we collaborate — building the continent's first investment platform that truly mobilizes capital for bankable, high-impact projects,' said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. "We have to continue leveraging the AIF as a platform for capital mobilisation in Africa, to bridge the infrastructure funding gap in the continent," said DBSA's CEO Boitumelo Mosako. The signing of the Partnership Framework Agreement takes place ahead of what is expected to be an expanded and impactful Market Days 2025, to be held from 26 to 28 November 2025 in Rabat, Morocco. Market Days, the centerpiece of the Africa Investment Forum platform, brings together investors, deal sponsors and heads of government to advance transformational African projects toward financial close. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Media Contact: Hafsa Dia-Enoh Communication and External Relations Email: media@ SOURCE African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Africa Investment Forum Partners Sign Partnership Framework Agreement at African Bank Development Bank Group's 2025 Annual Meetings
On the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings ( founding partners of the Africa Investment Forum signed a Partnership Framework Agreement, reinforcing their collective commitment to mobilize transformative investments across the African continent. The new framework creates a clearer partnership model that sets out the roles and benefits for the founding partners. It also opens the door for expansion to new partners, ensuring everyone benefits while increasing the Forum's overall impact. Launched in 2018, the Africa Investment Forum platform has solidified its standing as Africa's premier investment marketplace for global investors and has garnered nearly $225 billion in investment interest to date. Principals of the African Development Bank Group, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) signed the agreement. The other partners are Trade and Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Afreximbank. Speaking at the signing ceremony, President of the African Development Bank Group and chairperson of the Africa Investment Forum, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said: "This agreement is a testament to our shared vision: that Africa will not be developed by aid, but by investment. The AIF has changed perceptions and proven that Africa is indeed a bankable destination." Dr Fahad Abdullah Aldossari, Chairman of BADEA's Board of Directors said: 'The signing of the AIF Framework Agreement marks a remarkable milestone to ascertain both effectiveness and efficiency as well as financial sustainability for AIF 2.0 in a bid to advance more projects to bankability and crowd-in transformative investments to the continent.' Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa 50 said: 'This signature marks our renewed commitment to support the objectives of the Africa Investment Forum, launched under the visionary leadership of President Adesina. It is a much-needed deal-making platform that helps strengthen collaborations and leverage innovative models to unlock private capital to accelerate the delivery of bankable projects on the continent. It is critical for African Institutions to support it'. 'As a Founding Partner, we are proud to see this initiative formally take shape. Through AIF, we've proven what Africa can achieve when we collaborate — building the continent's first investment platform that truly mobilizes capital for bankable, high-impact projects,' said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. "We have to continue leveraging the AIF as a platform for capital mobilisation in Africa, to bridge the infrastructure funding gap in the continent," said DBSA's CEO Boitumelo Mosako. The signing of the Partnership Framework Agreement takes place ahead of what is expected to be an expanded and impactful Market Days 2025, to be held from 26 to 28 November 2025 in Rabat, Morocco. Market Days, the centerpiece of the Africa Investment Forum platform, brings together investors, deal sponsors and heads of government to advance transformational African projects toward financial close. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
