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$13B in African Power Investment Is Waiting – Proven Sponsors Can Deliver

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Energy Capital

As Africa’s power investment climbs, the Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris offers a strategic platform to connect investors with well-structured, bankable projects

PARIS, France, March 17, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s power sector is drawing growing global capital attention, with investment reaching an estimated $13.84 billion in 2025 across energy deals – the vast majority in clean power, underscoring investor interest in the energy transition. However, despite 74,000 MW of announced capacity, only about 14,500 MW has been realized, revealing a persistent “execution gap” between projects announced and projects delivered. This bankability gap remains one of the principal challenges for investors seeking real returns in Africa’s energy markets.

 

At its core, “bankable” means return structures and risk mitigation that satisfy institutional capital requirements – including stable revenue streams, enforceable contracts, experienced sponsors and financial structures that make projects credible to lenders. Investors are increasingly targeting deals with these features, and measurable success is emerging where project fundamentals align with global finance expectations.

 

The Bankability Imperative

 

Take South Africa as an example: a 300 MW solar + battery energy storage system (BESS) project recently reached FID as one of the country’s largest private utility-scale solar-plus-storage deals. With 300 MW of solar co‑located with 660 MWh of battery storage and backed by 25‑year PPAs with Sasol and Air Liquide, the project illustrates how strong sponsor backing, firm offtake agreements and hybrid dispatchable design can attract financing, enable large-scale execution and build investor confidence.

 

While smaller in scale, Zambia’s Ilute Solar Project also reached financial close in early 2026. The 32 MWp solar plant – one of the first in the region financed through power sales into the Southern African Power Pool – secured capital on the strength of a market-based PPA with GreenCo Power Services and a layered debt structure that mitigates regional price risk. Led by Serengeti Energy, Kwama Energy and FMO, the deal integrated senior and subordinated financing tranches, with the latter providing flexibility to absorb potential market fluctuations.

 

Beyond utility-scale renewables, program-based and blended finance vehicles are increasingly being used to pool public, concessional and private capital to de-risk early-stage projects. For example, the Afrigreen Debt Impact Fund, which closed at €100 million last year, provides long-term financing for small- and mid-scale solar projects, illustrating the growing importance of tailored debt solutions to bridge finance gaps and unlock private-sector-led deployment.

 

Lessons from Success and the Road Ahead

 

The growing pipeline of announced projects highlights why proven project sponsors and developers matter now more than ever. Experienced sponsors, clear offtake arrangements and blended finance structures can convert project potential into realized capacity, unlock further investment and strengthen investor confidence in frontier markets.

 

The upcoming Invest in African Energy Forum in Paris (April 22-23, 2026) – bringing policymakers, developers, financiers and international investors together – will play a vital role in this transition. By showcasing live, investible opportunities and facilitating dialogue on project structuring, risk mitigation and policy frameworks, the forum helps translate investor interest into closed deals and tangible capacity delivered on the ground.

 

Ultimately, closing Africa’s bankability gap won’t happen through capital flow alone. It will require proven project sponsors and developers, innovative finance structures and strong engagement platforms that align risk and return, thereby delivering the energy capacity that powers economies, creates jobs and accelerates inclusive development across the continent.

 

IAE 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/4sJpfqZ) is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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