Bridging Borders and Prosperity: Infrastructure Africa to Unlock Finance for Cross-Border Projects

As Africa works to accelerate regional integration and economic growth, the continent’s infrastructure financing gap — estimated at between USD 68 billion and USD 108 billion annually — remains one of the most significant barriers to achieving the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA).

Infrastructure Africa 2026, taking place in Cape Town from 2–3 March 2026, will convene governments, project developers, investors, development finance institutions, and the private sector will unpack the opportunity and explore solutions to “Bridging Borders and Prosperity: Unlocking Finance for Africa’s Cross-Border Infrastructure.” The event will focus on advancing bankable, investment-ready regional infrastructure projects that are critical to unlocking trade, mobility, and shared prosperity.

Cross-border transport, energy, and digital infrastructure form the backbone of Africa’s integration agenda. However, financing large-scale, multi-country projects continues to be constrained by perceived risk, fragmented regulatory environments, and limited coordination among multiple sovereign and sub-sovereign borrowers. This persists despite Africa’s strong repayment track record and growing demand for long-term infrastructure investment.

Infrastructure Africa 2026 will place a strong emphasis on project preparation and bankability, examining how robust feasibility studies, risk mitigation tools, blended finance structures, and public–private partnerships can unlock private capital at scale. The programme will also explore the role of DFIs, regional economic communities, and corridor-based planning in de-risking cross-border investments and accelerating project implementation.

By convening decision-makers from across the public and private sectors, Infrastructure Africa serves as a platform where policy, finance, and project execution converge. The event aims to move beyond high-level dialogue and support action-driven partnerships that advance Africa’s priority infrastructure corridors from concept to construction.

Through improved project preparation and coordinated financing approaches, Infrastructure Africa 2026 seeks to strengthen Africa’s cross-border infrastructure networks — enabling trade expansion, industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth across the continent.