UNDP Launches Third Edition of Africa Investment Insights Report at Africa Impact Summit 2024

The report provides an overview of private sector opportunities with economic, social, and environmental potential for sustainable development progress across Africa.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched the UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, Third Edition – Climate Opportunities at the Africa Impact Summit 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The report provides an overview of private sector opportunities with economic, social, and environmental potential for sustainable development progress across Africa. It offers data and trends on SDGs investment across the continent, highlighting financing opportunities and advocating for public support for impactful investments. Published by the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH), the report is based on data from the SDGs Investor Maps, UNDP's market intelligence tool for investments aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This edition emphasizes climate-related investment opportunities using market intelligence from 16 African SDGs Investor Maps. Released in partnership with UNDP's Climate Promise, the report outlines ways the private sector can support African countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, leveraging UNDP's climate expertise and its global Climate Promise 2025.

The report reveals that climate action is a significant opportunity for the private sector: more than half of the SDGs investment opportunities identified in the African SDGs Investor Maps contribute to climate action and support NDCs. The majority of climate opportunities for the private sector are adaptation interventions, followed by mitigation and dual benefits.

"Through the UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, we turn Africa's climate challenges into investment opportunities for the private sector, as per the continent's own ambition captured in national NDCs," said Maxwell Gomera, Director of the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub. "The report is based on a multitude of proven business models, which can have significant financial performance – while creating strong impact across many SDGs. As UNDP, we call on investors to play their role in realizing opportunities for positive climate action."

During a panel discussion at the report launch, investor and ecosystem representatives shared success stories of impact-led investments in sustainability and climate. Speakers from UNDP, Impact Investing Kenya, AlphaMundi, and FSD Africa Investment discussed best practices around SDGs and NDC investment activities, particularly how investors can attract additional private financing through risk-bearing capital and innovative financing instruments. The discussion also highlighted the importance of investors and enterprises measuring and managing their impact to maintain credibility in the private sector's contributions to SDGs.

"The UNDP report is a clear signal to Africa's investing community to do more to support the continent's sustainable development progress, utilizing the private sector's capacities and resources," said Rosemary Amondi, East Africa Regional Director at ANDE and Chair of the Host Steering Committee. "As an ecosystem, we require such market intelligence to establish a baseline on our respective responsibilities and the potential impact-led economies have. We thank UNDP for this resource and their collaboration in the Africa Impact Summit."

Organized by the Africa Impact Investing Group, comprising Impact Investing National Advisory Boards and country task forces in collaboration with the Global Steering Group on Impact Investing-GSG Impact, the Africa Impact Summit is the leading forum for impact investing thought leadership, networking, and deal-making in Africa. UNDP is proud to serve as a Knowledge Partner at the Africa Impact Summit 2024, which convened over 400 delegates from Africa and beyond under the theme "Accelerating Action for the Africa We Want through Impact Investing."