Africa infrastructure development requires leadership and bankable partnerships

Addressing Africa’s infrastructure and energy gaps requires a combination of strong leadership and well-structured public-private partnerships (PPPs). According to Nkandu Machungwa, Vice President for Energy, Infrastructure and Real Estate Finance at Stanbic Bank, attracting private capital depends on creating bankable PPPs with clearly identifiable revenue streams and appropriate risk allocation.

During the Energy Forum for Africa Conference in Lusaka, Machungwa emphasized that financing arrangements must be built around predictable cash flows, such as road tolls, pipeline fees, or electricity tariffs, to support debt repayment and investor returns. He noted that because PPP concessions often span five to 30 years, revenue must be sufficient to cover operating costs and service debt.

Complementing this financial perspective, the African Infrastructure Elites: People and Projects initiative highlights that successful delivery depends on technical expertise, effective governance, and the ability to coordinate diverse organizations. The initiative underscores that meaningful outcomes are achieved through both institutional partnerships and individual leaders capable of guiding projects from the planning phase into long-term operation.