Nairobi summit seeks to move Africa’s infrastructure from plans to projects

Africa’s largest infrastructure financiers and investors will gather in Nairobi later this month in an effort to answer a persistent question: how to turn the continent’s long-standing industrial ambitions into projects that can be built, financed and sustained.

The meeting, known as The Africa We Build Summit, will be hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation in partnership with the Government of Kenya from April 23 to 24. Organisers say the goal is to mobilise domestic capital and channel it into infrastructure projects that can drive industrial growth and job creation.

Held under the theme “Infrastructure as the Engine of Industrialisation,” the summit will bring together heads of state, ministers, fund managers and industry executives to focus on developing bankable projects, strengthening regional integration and accelerating industrial activity across the continent.

The gathering reflects a broader shift in thinking about infrastructure in Africa, from a focus on individual projects to an emphasis on interconnected systems. Planned discussions will examine regional transport corridors, rail and port expansion, cross-border energy networks and the development of value chains around strategic minerals.

President William Ruto is expected to deliver the keynote address, signalling high-level political backing for regional integration and large-scale industrial development.

A central focus of the summit is how to direct more of Africa’s domestic capital into infrastructure and industrial opportunities that can compete globally. Organisers argue that the continent has significant pools of capital, but that much of it remains underutilised or poorly aligned with viable projects.

The summit will coincide with the release of the “State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2026,” which organizers describe as a comprehensive assessment of investment gaps, capital flows and priority project pipelines across the continent. The report is intended to guide both investors and policymakers in deploying capital more effectively.

“Africa is not capital-poor; it is capital-trapped. The opportunity now is to channel that capital into infrastructure and industry at scale transforming resources into productivity, jobs, and long-term prosperity,” said Samaila Zubairu, president and chief executive of the Africa Finance Corporation.

Organizers say the summit will emphasize execution, with a focus on projects that are already structured to attract investment. Examples cited include the Lobito Corridor and national financing mechanisms such as the Kenya National Infrastructure Fund, which aim to align policy, capital and project development.

The East African Community is expected to feature prominently in the discussions, particularly as one of the continent’s more active regional blocs. Attention will center on major transport routes such as the Northern Corridor, which connects the Port of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, as well as other links between coastal ports and inland markets.

Talks are also expected to address road and rail connectivity, including upgrades to cross-border highways and the development of a broader East African Railway Master Plan.

Another key theme will be the relationship between energy and minerals, with an emphasis on building value chains that move beyond extraction to processing and manufacturing, in an effort to generate more durable economic gains.

The Africa Finance Corporation, established in 2007, says it has invested more than $19 billion across 36 African countries, focusing on sectors such as energy, transport, telecommunications and heavy industry. The institution now counts 48 member countries and positions itself as a partner in developing large-scale infrastructure projects across the continent.