Africa infrastructure: Africa50 scales financing as Algeria expands rail networks

Africa50, a pan-African investment vehicle based in Casablanca, is scaling up its efforts to bridge the continent's massive infrastructure deficit. With the African Development Bank estimating annual needs between $130 billion and $170 billion, Africa50 aims to increase the cumulative value of its co-financed projects from approximately $9 billion to at least $20 billion over the next five years. The institution is utilizing its own equity to attract private capital, focusing on making projects bankable through sophisticated financial engineering.

In Algeria, a strategic railway project is underway to connect Algiers to Tamanrasset. The line will pass through Laghouat, Ghardaïa, El-Meniaa, and In Salah, serving as a logistical lever to integrate the country's southern regions into the national transport network. Experts suggest the rail link will facilitate the transport of mineral resources from the Ahaggar region, promote sustainable development, and create thousands of jobs during and after construction.