NEPAD-IPPF Marks 20 Years of Driving Africa’s Infrastructure Pipeline

Ahead of the Oversight Committee meeting, NEPAD-IPPF organised a three-day training programme for Regional Economic Communities, executing agencies and project teams.

The New Partnership for Africa's Development Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF) has celebrated two decades of supporting regional infrastructure across Africa, highlighting its role in helping transform project ideas into investment-ready opportunities that have attracted billions of dollars for development across the continent.

Two decades of project preparation attract major investment

The milestone was marked during the 41st NEPAD-IPPF Oversight Committee Meeting, held in Cotonou, Benin, from 2 to 3 July 2026. Hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the facility has approved 114 grants worth $124.67 million since its establishment, helping mobilise more than $13 billion in downstream investment for transport, energy, water and information and communication technology (ICT) projects. Committee members reviewed the Fund's performance in 2025 while examining ways to strengthen project preparation, improve implementation and increase investment in climate-resilient and regionally connected infrastructure.

The Fund also recorded its highest annual disbursement level since 2020, reflecting improvements in portfolio management and project delivery. Officials said the achievement demonstrates the growing importance of preparing high-quality projects that are capable of attracting public and private financing.

Building stronger regional infrastructure across Africa

Mike Salawou, Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department at the African Development Bank, said NEPAD-IPPF plays a strategic role in supporting the Bank's long-term development priorities by creating a steady pipeline of well-prepared regional infrastructure projects.

Ahead of the Oversight Committee meeting, NEPAD-IPPF organised a three-day training programme for Regional Economic Communities, executing agencies and project teams. The sessions focused on procurement, financial management, environmental and social safeguards, climate resilience and improving project bankability to help infrastructure projects reach investors more efficiently.

The anniversary programme also included a high-level discussion on the future of project preparation, with participants exploring ways to encourage greater private sector participation while accelerating regional integration across Africa. Delegates also visited electricity interconnection projects in Benin supported by NEPAD-IPPF, which form part of efforts to strengthen the reliability of the West African regional power grid.

New strategy aims to expand investment-ready projects

Michael Andres, Chair of the NEPAD-IPPF Oversight Committee and Principal Project Manager at Germany's development bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), said the facility's objective extends beyond preparing projects to ensuring they are financed, implemented and ultimately improve the lives of people across Africa.

Looking ahead, the Oversight Committee reaffirmed the Fund's role in expanding the continent's pipeline of investment-ready regional infrastructure projects. Members also encouraged existing and new development partners to provide additional financial support to maintain momentum and expand the facility's activities.

As NEPAD-IPPF prepares its 2027–2031 Strategic Business Plan, its priorities will include improving project quality, speeding up implementation, strengthening partnerships and increasing private sector investment. The long-term goal is to deliver more bankable regional infrastructure projects that enhance trade, connectivity and sustainable economic growth across Africa.