By 
The Africa Investment Forum (AIF) has cemented its role as a premier global platform for unlocking investment in Africa, with more than $225 billion in investment interest mobilized since its inception. Buoyed by the record-breaking success of its 2024 Market Days, where $29.2 billion in investor interest was secured, organizers and stakeholders are setting their sights on an even more impactful 2025 edition.
At a strategic meeting held Monday on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., AIF’s nine founding partners reaffirmed their commitment to scaling the Forum’s impact. The partners—African Development Bank, Afreximbank, Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Islamic Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Trade and Development Bank, and newcomer BADEA (Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa)—celebrated the Forum’s achievements over its seven-year journey.
Africa is bankable
Describing the Forum’s progress, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group and Chairman of AIF, declared:
“We have elevated Africa. We have showcased Africa. We have changed perceptions on Africa. Africa is bankable.”
He further emphasized the Forum’s core principle:
“Africa will not be developed by aid. It will be developed by investment.”
The 2024 Africa Investment Forum attracted over 2,300 participants from 83 countries, hosting more than 40 boardroom sessions and featuring 15 global sponsors, including investment banks, insurers, and export credit agencies. The upcoming 2025 edition is expected to surpass these milestones with growing global interest.
To date, 22 major deals have closed, with 41% of the financing coming directly from the founding partners in partnership with other institutional investors. The meeting also outlined plans to solidify the Forum’s Partnership Governance Framework, ensuring its long-term sustainability. The framework is set to be signed at the African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings in May 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Africa50 CEO Alain Ebobisse praised the Forum’s structure, noting:
“The Africa Investment Forum is unique because it’s not about speeches—it’s about deal-making in boardrooms. We are ready to bring on more sponsors.”
As Dr. Adesina prepares to end his tenure as President of the African Development Bank this September, he lauded the Forum’s partners for their unwavering support and dedication to Africa’s transformation through investment.
The Forum continues to shift global narratives, proving that Africa is not only ready for investment—but is delivering high-quality, bankable opportunities across energy, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and digital sectors.
