An Africa Infrastructure Financing Summit Announced in Angola
The city of Luanda, the capital of the Republic of Angola, will host the Africa Infrastructure Financing Summit from October 28 to 31, 2025.
This international event, jointly organized by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the African Union Commission (AUC), is under the patronage of Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
According to a press release from AUDA-NEPAD, headed by CEO Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, received by the editorial team of Continental Infos Cameroun, the purpose of this major gathering — which will bring together “heads of state and government, development financing institutions, private investors, and regional partners” — is to mobilize the capital needed to finance infrastructure projects.
Targeted programs include those under the AU’s Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). Unfortunately, it has been noted that Africa’s infrastructure financing gap exceeds US$100 billion, which constitutes a major obstacle to economic transformation, regional integration, and job creation.
“Mobilizing the capital needed to finance infrastructure projects”
In order to address the financing shortfall, the organizers conceived the idea of bringing together various stakeholders through this upcoming summit, with the ambition of turning into reality the continent’s determination and capacity to attract funding through innovative instruments. These include the Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM) established by AUDA-NEPAD, the NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (IPPF), the Continental Business Network (CBN), and Africa50.
Corridors
According to AUDA-NEPAD, the Africa Infrastructure Financing Summit aims to foster strategic partnerships, strengthen the project pipeline, and accelerate the development of bankable and transformative infrastructure across the African continent.
The agenda published by AUDA-NEPAD indicates that activities will revolve around strategic dialogues with public and private sector leaders, investment meetings, B2B sessions, and technical discussions on the development and financing of corridors to interconnect the continent within the framework of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
In line with current global concerns over environmental protection, the program will also include showcases of innovations and climate resilience strategies, as well as site visits to major infrastructure projects.
Following the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week held from November 25 to 29, 2024, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — at the African Union headquarters — which served as an essential platform to discuss challenges and opportunities related to infrastructure development in Africa, with a focus on resilience, inclusivity, and transformative financing, attention is now turning to Luanda, a port city on the west coast of Southern Africa.
