The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the UK government convened global investors in London on December 17 to accelerate private capital flows into African economies, following the successful $11 billion replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-17).
The inaugural Africa Private Capital Mobilisation Day brought together more than 150 senior decision-makers from private equity, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, philanthropies, and development finance institutions, marking a shift from dialogue to actionable investment initiatives.
Hosted at Lancaster House in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Export Finance and British International Investment, the event reflected a shared goal of scaling private investment to help close Africa’s estimated $402 billion annual development financing gap.
African Development Bank President Dr Sidi Ould Tah described the event as a continuation of the ADF-17 process and a step toward advancing a “New African Financial Architecture,” aimed at unlocking Africa’s capital potential, strengthening financial sovereignty, transforming demographic growth into a dividend, and delivering resilient infrastructure.
The programme focused on reshaping perceptions of risk in African markets, designing innovative financial platforms, and mobilising capital in fragile and frontier economies. New analysis from the Center for Global Development indicated that long-term lending to African borrowers has historically been less risky than commonly perceived.
Sector discussions highlighted the strategic importance of healthcare and aviation. Two flagship initiatives were presented:
- The Africa Medicines and Equipment Facility, developed with the Gates Foundation, which will provide predictable financing for essential medicines and medical equipment.
- The Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme for Africa, supported by a blended-finance facility, which aims to modernise and expand the continent’s aviation ecosystem, including airports, airlines, and enabling services for trade and tourism.
In a closed-door roundtable, President Ould Tah met with executives from around 30 institutional investors to explore launching a Private Sector Innovation Lab, a platform to co-create financing instruments, partnerships, and risk-sharing solutions tailored to African markets.
The outcomes of the event were summarised in the London Communiqué, setting out commitments by the AfDB and its partners to scale private capital mobilisation. Further work will focus on priority actions and implementation pathways to turn these commitments into scalable investment solutions.
The UK’s Minister for Development, Jenny Chapman, said the London gathering underscored the City of London’s critical role in mobilising investment for Africa, signalling a shift from aid to investment-driven growth.
