Africa50 has recently achieved a significant milestone by surpassing $1.4 billion in managed assets, marking a pivotal moment for African-led infrastructure financing. This announcement, made during the 2025 General Shareholders Meeting in Maputo, highlights the increasing intra-African investment spurred by regional institutions. This achievement represents more than just financial resources; it lays the groundwork for energy, digital, and logistics infrastructure that can foster sustainable growth across the continent.
Founded eight years ago as a single-person operation, Africa50 has evolved into a powerful platform with over 100 professionals and a portfolio valued at more than $8 billion. This growth is central to reducing Africa’s estimated $170 billion annual infrastructure financing gap. This shift reflects a broader trend of Africa assuming control over its development, mobilising wealth from sovereign funds, pension pools, and insurers to meet the continent’s needs.
The Africa Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) has successfully raised $275 million from more than 20 African institutional investors, showcasing an extraordinary endorsement of African infrastructure investment. Asset deployment has commenced, with Africa50’s inaugural major IAF investment focusing on Mass Céréales al Maghreb, an essential Moroccan port operator. This investment aims to enhance cereal terminal capacity and strengthen food security.
During the Maputo meeting, Africa50 announced several transformative projects:
An MOU was signed with Electricidade de Moçambique to develop three transmission lines under an Independent Power Transmission (IPT) framework, aiming to support universal electricity access by 2030. A memorandum was established with Mozambique’s Ministry of Communications to construct and modernise data centre facilities in Maputo. Africa50 launched the first close of the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA), with $115 million committed to sustainable infrastructure development. A framework agreement was reached with the AfCFTA Secretariat to finance trade-enabling infrastructure across borders.
These initiatives align with broader AfDB support in Mozambique, which includes $400 million for an LNG facility and $34 million for rural electrification, increasing national energy access from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2024.
Africa50’s growth beyond $1.4 billion in assets isn’t just financial news; it signals a turning point as Africa is stepping up to finance its infrastructure future. For businesses, investors, and policymakers, this presents both opportunity and responsibility: to align with sustainable infrastructure development that powers digital connectivity, regional trade, and inclusive growth across the continent.
