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AfDB Group and Japan sign exchange of notes for $350 million private sector assistance loan

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African Development Bank

The loan agreement, to the tune of JPY 44.1 million or $350 million, carries an interest rate of 0.11 % and a repayment period of 30 years, with a grace period of 10 years

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 21, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and Japan have signed an exchange of notes for an eighth private sector assistance loan from Japan to finance the Bank’s private sector operations.

The loan agreement, to the tune of JPY 44.1 million or $350 million, carries an interest rate of 0.11% and a repayment period of 30 years, with a grace period of 10 years. The loan will contribute significantly to funding the Bank’s private sector operations through credit lines.

The signing took place at the Bank Group’s headquarters on Friday 17 February, between its Senior Vice President, Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, and Japanese Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Katsuya Ikkatai.

The agreement comes under the joint initiative known as the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance Initiative (https://apo-opa.info/4181E6y) for Africa (EPSA). This provides financing for the Bank’s private sector operations through a line of credit from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The loans are provided on concessional terms.

This new arrangement which takes our collaboration forward, will build on the existing strong partnership we have had over the years

“This new arrangement which takes our collaboration forward, will build on the existing strong partnership we have had over the years and fits in firmly with the call and vision of our President Dr Akinwunmi Adesina to further strengthen our collaboration with Japan,” said Tshabalala following the signing.

Ambassador Ikkatai noted that the Tunis Declaration, adopted at the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 8, last August, emphasizes that private investment is essential for Africa’s economic growth and inclusive and sustainable development. “Moreover, at TICAD 8, our Prime Minister Kishida announced $30 billion in public and private investment from Japan for Africa over the next three years. And this support signed today reflects a strong joint action of the Government of Japan and the African Development Bank which embodies exactly this policy of Japan,” he added.

To date, the Bank and the government of Japan have signed seven non-sovereign loans totalling $1.5 billion. The loans have contributed to support 51 projects, mainly credit lines and equity to regional development finance institutions, private equity funds and project finance for infrastructure public-private partnerships.

The EPSA loans for non-sovereign operations help finance the Bank’s private sector operations through credit lines (NSLs) from JICA to the Bank. In principle, although pooled with the other financial resources of the Bank and subject to normal Bank processes (including eligibility and pricing), the resources are attributed to specific projects “endorsed” by the Japanese Government.

The government of Japan is one of the Bank’s biggest contributors, participating in the sixteenth replenishment of the African Development’s concessional window, the African Development Fund, in December last year. Japan also contributed to the African Development Bank’s General Capital Increase (GCI-7) in 2019.

During TICAD8 held in Tunis in August 2022, the heads of the Bank and JICA announced the fifth phase of EPSA, from 2023-2025. It has a joint target of $4 billion, which is $500 million more than EPSA 4. An additional up to $1 billion will be provided by JICA under a new special window to promote debt transparency and sustainability reforms in Africa.      

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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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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