The milestone was celebrated during the Fund’s 41st Oversight Committee Meeting held in Cotonou, Benin, from July 2 to July 3. Hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the facility reported that since inception, it has approved 114 grants worth $124.67 million, helping to mobilise more than $13 billion in downstream investment across the transport, energy, water and information and communications technology sectors.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of growing demand for infrastructure projects that are investment-ready, climate-resilient and capable of strengthening regional integration. Delegates reviewed the Fund’s performance during 2025 and adopted measures aimed at improving project preparation, accelerating implementation and increasing investment mobilisation.
NEPAD-IPPF recorded its highest annual disbursement level since 2020 during 2025, reflecting stronger portfolio management and improved project execution. The achievement reinforces the facility’s role in advancing the AfDB’s regional integration agenda and supporting priority infrastructure projects across Africa.
Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department at the AfDB, Mike Salawou, said NEPAD-IPPF remains a key component of the institution’s broader development strategy.
“NEPAD-IPPF’s role must also be understood within the Bank’s broader strategic architecture. The Fund is not a standalone facility; it is a strategic enabler of the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points, NAFAD, and the Ten-Year Strategy,” said Salawou.
Ahead of the meeting, the facility hosted a three-day capacity-building programme for Regional Economic Communities, implementing agencies and project teams. The training focused on procurement, financial management, environmental safeguards, climate resilience and project bankability.
The anniversary programme also included a high-level discussion examining how project preparation can be strengthened over the next two decades to attract greater private sector participation and accelerate continental integration.
Participants visited electricity interconnection projects in Benin supported by NEPAD-IPPF, which form part of efforts to strengthen the stability of the West African regional power grid.
Chairperson of the NEPAD-IPPF Oversight Committee and Principal Project Manager at German development bank KfW, Michael Andres, said the Fund’s objective extends beyond preparing projects. “Our objective is not simply to prepare projects, but to help ensure that regional infrastructure is ultimately financed, implemented and delivers tangible benefits for African people,” said Andres.
Looking ahead, the Oversight Committee reaffirmed the Fund’s role in preparing regional infrastructure projects and called for an expanded pipeline of investment-ready opportunities. The committee also encouraged existing and new development partners to provide additional funding to support future operations.
–AfDB?ChannelAfrica–
