Urban development projects in Africa are getting a US$1 billion catalyst to propel them from concept to bankability.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and pan-African housing financier Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) are partnering to provide an early-stage project preparation facility for projects in a range of priority sectors such as building and construction; housing; healthcare; hospitality; industrial; manufacture of building materials; commercial and residential infrastructure; and logistical platforms such as industrial zones and special economic zones.

The partnership is expected to unlock investment with a cumulative value of at least US$1 billion, reports Africa Business Communities.

It will also include a capacity-building programme to enhance the project preparation skills of staff at ShafDB.

‘By combining ShafDB’s expertise in housing and urban development and Afreximbank’s extensive experience in project preparation, we are poised to unlock new opportunities and deliver transformative projects in critical sectors that will, among other benefits, establish economic hubs and platforms that will promote trade and tradeable services,’ said Oluranti Doherty, MD of export development at Afreximbank, on the sidelines of the fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) in Algiers.

‘The Joint Project Preparation Facility will enable us to move projects from concept to bankability with speed and precision, unlocking over US$1 billion in investments. This is a transformative step towards building resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities across Africa,’ said ShafDB MD Thierno-Habib Hann.

16 September 2025
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