Africa CEO Forum: “Infrastructure: is the African private sector the missing dot?”

Further to the launch of the webinar series on infrastructure which we are organizing in partnership with Jeune Afrique’s Africa CEO Forum, we are inviting you to the second session. It will focus on how Africa’s domestic resources can help bridge the continent’s infrastructure financing gap.

Theme: “Infrastructure: is the African private sector the missing dot?”

Date: Thursday 15 July 2021, 02:00 PM UTC

Register to join the session via this link: https://bit.ly/3wx1h4T

Context: To close the infrastructure gap in Africa, investments should rise to 4.5% per year as a share of GDP against the current 2.5%. African private sector participation in infrastructure project funding is key to accelerate local funding efforts and overall continental integration. But to encourage their participation, African private entities are looking for government incentives and an improved enabling environment. The African private sector/investor has a competitive advantage over their foreign counterparts as their understanding of infrastructure investment risk is influenced by their local knowledge and past experiences. 

Why are African private sector infrastructure investments limited? How can African private sector actors become key players in regional project development? 

Key-points:

• Do African private companies perceive regional infrastructure funding as strategic? What incentives can encourage their participation in infrastructure financing?
• How do we mitigate the perception of risk in infrastructure financing for African private entities? 
• Assets under management by African institutional investors are estimated to be close to $1.8 trillion. What role can they play in bridging the infrastructure financing gap?

 

Speakers

• Alain Ebobissé, CEO, Africa50 (Guest Speaker)
• Gabriel Curtis, Minister of Investment Promotion, Guinea (Guest Speaker)
• Frannie Léautier, CEO, Southbridge Investment (Panel Speaker)
• Akim Daouda,  CEO, Fonds Gabonais d'Investissements Stratégiques (Panel Speaker)
• Lamia Merzouki - Deputy General Manager, Casablanca Finance City Authority (Panel Speaker)
• W. Gyude Moore,  Senior Policy Fellow, Center Global Development,  former Minister of Public Works, Liberia (Expert)
• Didi Akinyelure, BBC journalist (Moderator)

Categories: Events, Press Release