Cape Town event to advance bankable regional infrastructure critical to Africa’s trade and integration goals
Africa’s ambition to deepen regional integration and unlock faster economic growth is closely tied to its ability to finance large scale infrastructure.
Yet the continent continues to face a major hurdle, an annual infrastructure financing gap estimated at between USD 68 billion and USD 108 billion. This shortfall remains one of the biggest obstacles to achieving the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
Against this backdrop, Infrastructure Africa 2026, set to take place in Cape Town from 2 to 3 March 2026, will bring together governments, investors, project developers, development finance institutions, and private sector leaders to tackle the theme Bridging Borders and Prosperity Unlocking Finance for Africa’s Cross Border Infrastructure.
The event will focus on practical solutions that move regional projects from concept to construction, with a strong emphasis on investment ready and bankable infrastructure.
Cross border transport, energy, and digital networks are central to Africa’s integration agenda, enabling trade, mobility and shared economic growth.
However, financing multi country projects remains complex. Perceived risk fragmented regulatory frameworks and limited coordination among sovereign and sub sovereign borrowers continue to deter capital, despite Africa’s improving repayment track record and growing appetite for long term infrastructure investment.
Infrastructure Africa 2026 will place project preparation and bankability at the centre of discussions. The programme will explore how robust feasibility studies, risk mitigation instruments, blended finance models, and public private partnerships can help unlock private capital at scale.
It will also examine the role of development finance institutions, regional economic communities, and corridor-based planning in reducing risk and accelerating implementation across borders.
By convening decision makers from across the public and private sectors, Infrastructure Africa positions itself as a platform where policy, finance and execution intersect.
The goal is to move beyond high level dialogue and foster action-oriented partnerships that can deliver Africa’s priority infrastructure corridors.
Through improved coordination and innovative financing approaches, Infrastructure Africa 2026 aims to strengthen cross border infrastructure networks, supporting trade expansion, industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth across the continent.