Africa stands at a defining crossroads. With over $4 trillion in domestic capital pools, abundant natural resources, and a young, dynamic workforce, the continent possesses everything needed to drive its own industrial transformation. Yet too little of that wealth has been channelled into the infrastructure that would unlock it. The Africa We Build Summit 2026, hosted by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) in partnership with the Government of Kenya, is designed to change that.
Taking place at the JW Marriott in Nairobi on 23–24 April 2026, the Summit brings together up to 500 senior leaders — heads of state, ministers, institutional investors, development finance institutions, and infrastructure operators — under the theme “Infrastructure as the Engine of Industrialisation”.
A Platform for Action, Not Aspiration
The Summit’s central message is clear: Africa’s future will not be built on good intentions alone. As AFC President and CEO Samaila Zubairu has stated, the continent cannot afford to carry outdated infrastructure into the next century — it needs bold, transformative projects capable of reshaping its economic landscape.
To that end, the Summit is structured around seven strategic themes, ranging from developing transformational trade and industrial corridors, to mobilising domestic institutional capital, reducing the cost of capital, and strengthening project preparation and risk mitigation. Rather than viewing infrastructure projects in isolation, the Summit deliberately shifts the lens toward corridors and ecosystems — recognising that a railway linked to power generation, logistics platforms, and industrial processing zones becomes a far more powerful catalyst for development than any single standalone project.
Headline Moments
A keynote address from H.E. Dr William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, will set the tone for the two-day programme. Day One will also see the launch of the State of Africa’s Infrastructure Report 2026 — a comprehensive analysis of the continent’s investment landscape, capital flows, infrastructure gaps, and project pipelines. The report is intended to move discussions from rhetoric to evidence-based decision-making.
Attendees can also expect a press conference hosted by Samaila Zubairu, as well as presentations from high-profile figures including H.E. Ms Lerato D Mataboge, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy.
Day Two: Projects, Pipelines and Deal Rooms
Day Two shifts into execution mode. A dedicated project showcase will spotlight concrete African infrastructure opportunities across three streams: Finance (including Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund and mechanisms to channel pension assets into infrastructure), Transport (airports, railways, ports, and cross-border corridors), and Energy (large-scale generation, storage, transmission, and regional interconnectors).
Featured showcases will include the East Africa Pipeline and a focused session on Kenya’s Infrastructure Fund and regional connectivity. Deal Rooms — also taking place on 24 April — will enable direct engagement between investors, project sponsors, and partners through a curated pipeline of opportunities across all three sectors.
The Summit will close with the AFC Annual General Meeting.
The Bigger Picture
Africa, as the brochure puts it, is not capital poor — it is capital trapped. Domestic savings too often flow into short-term, low-yield instruments rather than the long-term infrastructure assets the continent needs. The Africa We Build Summit aims to reframe infrastructure as a recognised asset class, create standardised investment instruments, and build a pipeline of regionally integrated projects capable of absorbing capital at scale.
The ambition is not merely to convene — it is to establish a standing community of practice among governments, development finance institutions, institutional investors, and operators, all committed to organising Africa’s own resources to construct, not just imagine, the continent’s future.
For registration and further information, visit tawbs2026.com.
