At a high-level T20 side event of the G20 Summit in South Africa, held at the Capital Empire Hotel on 20th November 2025, the African Think Tank for Infrastructure Development convened policymakers, industry leaders, and development experts to deliberate on closing Africa’s infrastructure financing gap.
The event was held under the theme “Enhancing Africa’s Infrastructure Gap: Transformation Through Investment and Partnership.”
Prof. Joshua Alabi, Board Chairman of GCB Bank PLC, delivered a keynote address on “Building Sustainable Collaboration: De-risking and Blending for Bankability.”
He underscored the urgency of addressing Africa’s estimated US$108 billion annual infrastructure deficit, stressing that without bold reforms and innovative financing models, the continent risks falling behind in global competitiveness.
Prof. Alabi highlighted the importance of smarter partnerships, strengthened domestic capacity, and bjstrategic de-risking mechanisms to attract large-scale private investment.
He pointed to successful African models such as the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) as clear evidence that blended finance and effective risk-mitigation tools can unlock transformative capital for infrastructure development.
He emphasized that Africa must move from dependency-driven financing to bankable, partnership-driven solutions that align governments, private investors, and development finance institutions.
The event brought together other distinguished speakers, including:
HE Maj. Gen. Chris A. Garuba (Rtd.), Chairman, African Think Tank for Infrastructure Development
His Eminence Nteyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, President General, Akwa Ibom State
Dr. Nthabiseng Moleko, Chairperson, South African National Empowerment Fund
Mr. Tomohiro Ishikawa, Chief Regulatory Engagement Officer, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
The discussions reinforced a shared commitment to strengthening Africa’s infrastructure ecosystem through investment, innovation, and partnership-driven growth, positioning the continent to leverage the global attention generated by the G20 platform.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
