Later this month, from October 28–31, Luanda, Angola, will play host to one of the most consequential gatherings on the continent’s economic calendar: the Luanda Infrastructure Financing Summit, convened by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Government of Angola.
Framed under the African Union’s long-term blueprint Agenda 2063 and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), the summit arrives at a moment when Africa’s infrastructure ambitions are colliding with the stark reality of a financing gap that exceeds $100 billion annually. Yet, this meeting is not about restating the challenge—it is about mobilising solutions, partnerships, and commitments that can rewire the continent’s economic future.
Africa’s Infrastructure Imperative
Infrastructure has long been recognised as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation and integration. Roads, railways, ports, power lines, and digital networks are more than physical assets; they are conduits for trade, innovation, and prosperity. For President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, the current Chairperson of the African Union, infrastructure financing is a defining priority.
Speaking at the AU Commission Handover in March 2025, Lourenço declared: “Infrastructure is one of the essential pillars of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. We must mobilise all available financial resources to achieve our goals.”
The Luanda summit is a direct response to this call, designed as both a marketplace and a policy forum—where governments, development banks, and private investors meet in “deal rooms” to advance bankable projects.
Energy Access and the Green Transition
A central theme of the summit will be universal access to energy. More than 600 million Africans remain without electricity, a constraint that limits everything from industrial production to digital innovation. Through the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and the Continental Power Systems Master Plan (CMP), the AU aims to mobilise $1.3 trillion by
H.E. Lerato D. Mataboge, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, states;
“Luanda will spotlight how blended finance, philanthropic capital, and climate-aligned investments can accelerate this agenda. In a year when South Africa holds the G20 presidency, Africa has a rare opportunity to push energy access and just climate finance higher up the global policy agenda.”
Trade, Corridors, and the AfCFTA
Infrastructure is also inseparable from Africa’s ambition to become a single market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Strategic corridors such as the Lobito Corridor, LAPSSET, and the Dakar–Bamako–Djibouti route will be highlighted in Luanda as models that integrate transport, logistics, and industrial development.
The PIDA Mid-Term Review, also scheduled during the summit, will assess progress on such transformative projects, providing direction for the next cycle of continental integration.
The Digital and AI Dimension
As Africa positions itself within the global digital and artificial intelligence revolution, the summit will explore how fintech, AI, and digital infrastructure can drive smarter urban planning, expand financial inclusion, and strengthen regional competitiveness. For Africa’s youth—its largest demographic—this digital push represents more than technology; it is about jobs, opportunity, and participation in the global economy.
Financing Africa, By Africa
One of the most anticipated discussions in Luanda will be around mobilising domestic capital. African pension funds and sovereign wealth funds control more than $70 billion annually. Unlocking even a portion of these resources through public-private partnerships, project bonds, and risk-mitigation tools could transform Africa’s infrastructure story from one of dependency to one of self-reliance.
Why Luanda Matters
For Angola, hosting the summit is both symbolic and strategic. As a nation whose economy has long depended on oil, Angola is positioning itself as a leader in diversifying growth and driving continental infrastructure agendas.
For Africa, Luanda is more than just another conference. It is a platform where leaders, financiers, and innovators must move from vision to execution. With the AU, AUDA-NEPAD, and Angola steering the conversation, the summit is expected to define the next decade of Africa’s infrastructure roadmap—anchored in Agenda 2063 and aligned with global priorities on climate, digitalisation, and inclusive growth.
In the words of H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, “the Luanda Summit is about more than closing gaps—it is about opening pathways to an Africa that builds, connects, and prospers on its own terms.”