Africa’s urban future gained fresh momentum this week as Afreximbank and Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) joined forces to close one of the continent’s most persistent gaps: turning ambitious blueprints into bankable projects.
$1 Billion Project Pipeline
At the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 in Cairo, the two institutions launched a Joint Project Preparation Facility (JPPF) that will mobilise at least $1 billion in investments.
By financing the early stages of development, the JPPF will fast-track initiatives in housing, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, logistics hubs, and special economic zones.
Moreover, Afreximbank’s Oluranti Doherty and ShafDB’s chief executive Thierno-Habib Hann signed the deal in person, signalling strong institutional commitment.
Doherty stressed the long-term vision, saying, “This facility will catalyse private investment, create economic hubs, and promote tradeable services across the continent.
Furthermore, our training programme will secure a sustainable pipeline of projects for the future.”
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Tackling Structural Barriers
In turn, Hann framed the agreement as a direct solution to sector bottlenecks.
He explained, “We face two obstacles: poor data and weak project preparation.
We have already addressed the first through our VIRAL model.
Now, with Afreximbank, we will tackle the second by moving projects from concept to bankability quickly and precisely.”
Moreover, both banks now demonstrate their broader commitment to African-led solutions through their membership in the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions.
Meanwhile, the trade fair continues to build momentum, with organisers projecting deals worth more than $44 billion—evidence that Africa’s ambition to finance its own growth keeps accelerating.
