SGR railway in Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | Africa’s leading infrastructure financiers, investors, fund managers and industry leaders will convene in Nairobi from 23–24 April 2026 for the inaugural Africa We Build Summit, setting the stage to unlock domestic capital and accelerate industrial growth across the continent.
Hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) in partnership with the Kenya government, the Summit will be held under the theme “Infrastructure as the Engine of Industrialisation”, with a forward-looking focus on integrated infrastructure systems.
Discussions will explore future investments in regional corridors, expanded rail and port networks, cross-border energy grids, and strategic minerals value chains designed to drive long- term economic transformation.
Kenya’s President, Dr William Samoei Ruto, is expected to deliver the keynote address, highlighting the government’s ongoing commitment to regional integration and large-scale industrial development.
A core objective of the Summit is to mobilise a greater share of Africa’s domestic capital toward bankable, globally competitive infrastructure and industrial projects, creating sustainable jobs and strengthening local economies.
The launch of the “State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2026”, which provides the most comprehensive assessment of cross-continental investment gaps, capital flows, and project pipelines, will inform the prioritisation of projects and guide future capital deployment.
“Africa is not capital-poor; it is capital-trapped,” said Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of AFC. “The opportunity now is to channel that capital into infrastructure and industry at scale—transforming resources into productivity, jobs, and long-term prosperity.”
The Summit will also highlight future-focused initiatives such as the Lobito Corridor and national infrastructure financing mechanisms including the Kenya National Infrastructure Fund, which aim to create integrated economic ecosystems linking resources to energy, logistics, processing, and markets.
Key regional corridors in East Africa, including the Northern Corridor connecting the Port of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, eastern DRC and South Sudan, will be prioritised, alongside upgrades to road and rail networks and the broader East African Railway Master Plan.
Northern Corridor
A central theme will be maximising local value addition in power and mineral sectors, ensuring that forthcoming infrastructure investments translate into sustainable industrialisation rather than raw resource extraction.
Anchored in investable pipelines, bankable projects and public-private partnerships, the Africa We Build Summit 2026 is positioned as a delivery platform to transform Africa’s industrial ambitions into tangible economic growth over the coming decade.
