The Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), has launched the AAMFI Infrastructure Financing Facility, a continent-wide mechanism designed to accelerate infrastructure development across Africa through coordinated, home-grown financial solutions.
Announced during the Luanda Infrastructure Financing Summit under the theme “Cutting the Cost of Capital: Financing Africa’s Infrastructure”, the initiative aims to bridge the persistent gap between project preparation and financing while promoting standardised investment frameworks and facilitating blended-finance approaches.
The Facility will provide an initial commitment of up to USD 1.5 billion, including USD 100 million dedicated to project preparation financing. Its first phase prioritises five flagship projects spanning energy, transport, water, and ICT, followed by six additional undertakings that collectively represent a strategic effort to enhance connectivity and economic integration across Africa’s five regions — Northern, Western, Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.
All projects are aligned with the African Union’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and the Agenda 2063 framework, underscoring a shared continental vision for an integrated, prosperous, and self-reliant Africa.
During the summit, H.E. João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, emphasised the necessity of African-driven development, stating:
“Africa must finance its own future by mobilising our collective resources to build the roads, power grids, and digital networks that will connect our markets, energise our industries, and empower our people.”
In his remarks, Mr Samaila Zubairu, Chairperson of AAMFI and President & CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, highlighted the Facility’s role in consolidating Africa’s institutional and financial capacity:
“This initiative crystallises Africa’s collective ambition to take charge of its own development financing. Through this Facility, we are shaping a coherent framework for infrastructure delivery and demonstrating our capacity to define, design, and finance the projects that will transform Africa’s economic landscape.”
Echoing this sentiment, Mrs Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, underscored the Facility’s alignment with the African Union’s long-term vision:
“The Facility embodies African ownership in action — a practical bridge toward the operationalisation of the African Union Development Fund and a testament to our determination to realise Agenda 2063 through innovative, collaborative, and sustainable infrastructure solutions.”
Conceived as a continental coordination platform, the Facility represents a crucial step toward strengthening Africa’s financial sovereignty and institutional capacity to mobilise both domestic and international capital for transformative infrastructure. It also reinforces AAMFI’s emerging role in consolidating Africa’s financial architecture and AUDA-NEPAD’s leadership in infrastructure-driven development.
A Cooperation Framework Agreement between AUDA-NEPAD and AAMFI is expected to be formally signed on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly, scheduled for February 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The launch of the AAMFI Infrastructure Financing Facility signifies more than a financial commitment — it reflects Africa’s determination to redefine its development trajectory through collective responsibility, institutional innovation, and strategic collaboration rooted in continental ownership.
