EESII

Infrastructure development remains a critical driver of Africa’s economic transformation, yet the continent continues to face a persistent financing gap, particularly at the early stages of project preparation. While global and regional investors are increasingly interested in Africa’s infrastructure market, many bankable projects fail to emerge due to a lack of risk capital, enabling policy frameworks, and robust early-stage project development support.

The Enabling Early-Stage Infrastructure Investing (EESII) is an initiative designed to address these gaps. It provides a structured platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and solution-building between governments, development finance institutions, private investors, and infrastructure project developers.

• Identify opportunities and bottlenecks that shape early-stage investment flows into infrastructure.

• Connect early-stage project sponsors with potential financiers and technical partners.

• Influence policy and institutional frameworks that improve bankability and investment readiness.

• Showcase high-potential infrastructure projects to targeted investors and stakeholders.

The inaugural EESII session will focus on unlocking early-stage capital for Africa’s infrastructure pipeline, with emphasis on practical strategies to bridge the gap between project conception and financial close.

A central feature of this edition will be the Infrapitch Session, showcasing selected early-stage projects developed by participants of the Developing & Financing Infrastructure Projects (DFIP) programme. These projects have been drawn from four (4) PIDA–PAP–2 priority initiatives under the AUDA–NEPAD framework

• Highlight the structural and financial barriers to early-stage infrastructure investment in Africa.

• Share global and African best practices for project preparation and early-stage financing.

• Provide a platform for DFIP-trained project sponsors to pitch their concepts to expert judges and investors.

• Foster connections between early-stage developers and potential funders/partners

• 🔍 Discover Emerging Infrastructure Talent & Thinking:
  Engage with the next generation of infrastructure leaders capable of driving project origination and structuring across Africa.

• 🌍 Spot High-Potential Ideas:
  Gain early insight into projects aligned with PIDA-PAP 2 priorities and explore opportunities for future collaboration or support.

• 💬 Network with Pan-African Stakeholders:
  Connect with peers, professionals, and institutions shaping Africa’s infrastructure landscape in a focused and forward-looking environment.

• 💡 Contribute to Pipeline Development:
  Offer expert feedback that may influence the shaping of ideas into real projects—addressing Africa’s need for stronger early-stage preparation.

• 🏆 Support Capacity Building:
  Be part of an initiative that strengthens Africa’s local project development ecosystem—aligned with continental development goals.

• Government representatives (infrastructure ministries, PPP units, investment promotion agencies)

• Development finance institutions (DFIs) and multilateral agencies

• Private investors (equity, venture infrastructure, private equity, infrastructure funds)

• Technical partners (engineering, legal, financial, and ESG advisory firms)

• Project sponsors (public and private)

• Academia and research institutions involved in infrastructure policy and financing

• Increased awareness among stakeholders on the importance of early-stage capital mobilisation.

• Strengthened investor–developer relationships.

• Actionable recommendations for reducing early-stage risk in Africa’s infrastructure sector.

• Enhanced visibility for selected PIDA–PAP–2 projects, improving their prospects for moving toward bankability.

The session will be fully virtual via Microsoft Teams and will combine keynote presentations, panel discussions, and the Infrapitch showcase, followed by Q&A and networking opportunities in breakout rooms.