African leaders, global investors, and development partners have convened in Luanda, Angola, for the 3rd Summit on Financing for Infrastructure Development in Africa, a high-level gathering aimed at mobilising capital and accelerating investment in strategic continental infrastructure.
Held under the High Patronage of President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, who also serves as African Union Chairperson, the four-day summit (October 28–31) is running under the theme “Capital, Corridors, Trade: Investing in Infrastructure for the AfCFTA and Shared Prosperity.”
Organised by the African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency, in partnership with the Government of Angola, the summit seeks to close Africa’s infrastructure financing gap — estimated at more than US$130 billion annually — by converting national and regional priorities into bankable projects capable of attracting private and institutional capital.
Addressing delegates, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Africa’s infrastructure deficit remains the biggest obstacle to realising the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area and achieving long-term economic sovereignty.
“Africa must invest 130 billion dollars yearly to close its infrastructure gap — the backbone of the AfCFTA and of our economic sovereignty,” Youssouf said. “Africa’s integration is not a dream; it is our method.”
He noted that through the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa, the continent has already recorded major progress — including the construction of 16,000 kilometres of roads, 4,000 kilometres of railways, and expanded energy access to 30 million people.
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“The next phase will scale this success through domestic resource mobilisation, innovative financing, and stronger global partnerships,” he added.
The Luanda summit brings together Heads of State and Government, Ministers, multilateral development banks, private investors, and regional economic communities, creating a unified platform to align infrastructure priorities with available financing.
President João Lourenço emphasised that Africa must leverage its natural resource wealth, demographic growth, and political commitment to transform its infrastructure landscape.
The summit is expected to deliver new partnerships and funding commitments for large-scale regional projects — including transport corridors, energy grids, digital infrastructure, and trade logistics — aimed at strengthening intra-African connectivity and improving economic resilience.
The outcomes of the summit will feed into the next phase of PIDA and support implementation of Agenda 2063, the African Union’s long-term blueprint for inclusive and sustainable development.
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