African Heads of State and Government on February 14, 2026 launched the Africa Infrastructure Financing Facility during the Third Presidential High-Level Dialogue of the African Union. Convened on the margins of the 39th AU Summit under the theme of strengthening Africa’s financial architecture to finance Agenda 2063, the forum brought together leaders and multilateral institutions to advance coordinated capital mobilisation. The Dialogue was held under the patronage of Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, who serves as AU Champion on Financial Institutions.
Leaders acknowledged that Agenda 2063 faces financing constraints driven by fragmented capital markets and high borrowing costs. Mahama noted that Africa holds over 2.5 trillion dollars in domestic capital but requires stronger deployment mechanisms. Officials estimated the continent’s infrastructure financing gap at about 221 billion dollars annually through 2030. The new facility, established under a cooperation framework between AUDA NEPAD and the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions, aims to accelerate project preparation and financing coordination.
Speakers including representatives of Africa Finance Corporation and Afreximbank emphasised collaboration, risk sharing, and institutional alignment to mobilise long term capital. The Dialogue also marked Cameroon’s deposit of the instrument of ratification for the African Monetary Fund, reinforcing efforts to operationalise African Union financial institutions.
