By Sam Otuonye 

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has called on the international community to scale up the availability of affordable capital to finance infrastructure and development across Africa.

Oyedele made the call while addressing the United Nations Dialogue on Solutions to Climate Finance on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

He said Africa’s development ambitions, particularly its energy needs, continue to be constrained by high financing costs, currency risks and limited access to affordable long-term capital.

The Minister explained that despite Africa’s relatively low contribution to global carbon emissions, the continent continues to face what he described as a “prejudice premium” and “narrative cost” in its efforts to mobilise financing for critical infrastructure.

He also identified currency risk and what he termed “stereotype tax” as additional burdens confronting African countries as they seek to raise capital for critical energy and other development assets.

Oyedele therefore called for a strategic shift in the approach to climate finance, with simpler access to affordable capital for developing countries and financing arrangements that better reflect their development realities.

He also urged the international community to scale up investment in gas and other transition energy sources, particularly in Africa, to expand access to reliable and affordable energy and help address global energy poverty.

According to him, greater investment in Africa’s energy sector would also help diversify global energy supply and reduce concentration risks, particularly amid disruptions affecting the Gulf region.

The Minister stressed that Africa’s energy transition must take account of the continent’s significant energy-access deficit, noting the need for greater investment to enable countries to meet their development needs while pursuing a practical transition to cleaner energy sources.

For Nigeria, Oyedele said the immediate priority was to structure and implement policies and programmes that would reduce poverty, expand economic opportunities and accelerate the distribution of shared prosperity.

He said achieving these objectives would require stronger international cooperation and a financing framework that enables developing countries to mobilise the capital required to invest in infrastructure and improve the lives of their people.

Nkem Okereh 

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau  Jibrin, has congratulated the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 66th birthday.

Senator Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, stated in a release issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, that the First Lady’s contributions to national development and democratic governance have been significant and enduring.

Through her flagship initiative, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), the Deputy President of the Senate said the First Lady has continually made meaningful efforts to address some of the challenges facing the nation, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, social welfare, women and youth empowerment, and support for vulnerable Nigerians.

“Her commitment to nation-building, however, predates her role as First Lady. As First Lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, she founded the New Era Foundation and used the platform to positively impact the lives of women, children, and young people across the state.

“Similarly, during her tenure as Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District from 2011 to 2023, she distinguished herself through her legislative work and service on various Senate committees, where she actively participated in addressing issues of national importance.

“As she reaches this significant milestone, I pray that Almighty God will grant Her Excellency many more years in good health, wisdom, strength, and fulfilment to continue supporting the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in the service of our nation and the pursuit of peace, stability, and sustainable development,” he said.

By Sam Otuonye 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) have signed a Joint Project Preparation Facility (JPPF) Framework Agreement,under which each institution will contribute up to US$10 million to prepare high-impact, trade-enabling infrastructure and industrial projects in South Africa and the wider region.

The agreement is one of the first operational instruments to follow South Africa’s accession to the Afreximbank Establishment Agreement in February 2026. South Africa became Afreximbank’s 54th member state in February 2026, when the Bank also announced a US$ 8 billion Country Programme for the country. 

The agreement complements the Master Risk Participation Agreement signed by Afreximbank and DBSA in February 2026, extending the partnership upstream into project preparation. It also supports the objectives of South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030, SADC integration and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Mrs Kanayo Awani, signed on behalf of Afreximbank, while Mr. Greg Fyfe, Chief Investment Officer, DBSA, signed on behalf of his institution.

Through the JPPF, the institutions will jointly originate, screen and prioritise projects and support the technical, financial and legal work required to address bankability constraints. Priority sectors include power and energy, with particular attention to energy transition; transport and logistics; information and communication technology; strategic minerals beneficiation; and other mutually agreed sectors aligned with national, regional and continental development priorities. The framework will focus initially on South Africa and the wider Southern African region, with scope to consider other African jurisdictions of mutual interest.

Through the JPPF, Afreximbank and DBSA will collaborate to advance high-impact projects from concept stage to bankability. The focus will be on trade-enabling infrastructure, industrial development, and export-oriented initiatives across South Africa and the Southern African region, with potential extension to other African jurisdictions of mutual strategic interest.

Commenting on the agreement, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank said: “Africa’s infrastructure challenge is not only about shortage of capital; it is also about shortage of projects prepared to the standard required by investors and lenders. This JPPF addresses this critical constraint. 

“By combining Afreximbank’s trade and industrialisation mandate with DBSA’s infrastructure-development expertise, we will help move priority projects from concept to investment readiness and mobilise the larger pools of public, private and blended finance required for implementation. For South Africa and the wider Southern Africa region, this is how project preparation becomes a practical instrument for industrialisation, export growth and regional integration under the AfCFTA.”

Chief Investment Officer at DBSA, Gregory Fyfe, said: “The Joint Project Preparation Facility represents a significant step towards strengthening the pipeline of bankable infrastructure and industrial projects across South Africa and the Southern African region. Through this partnership with Afreximbank, we are leveraging our complementary strengths to improve project preparation. 

“This will unlock investment opportunities and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure that supports economic growth, industrialisation and regional integration. This initiative reflects DBSA’s commitment to infrastructure-led development and to enabling sustainable, long-term impact through well-prepared projects that attract both public and private sector investment.”

Projects developed through the JPPF may seek downstream funding from Afreximbank, DBSA. They may also be presented to private investors, development finance institutions and commercial lenders, subject in every case to separate appraisal and approval. Both institutions will actively collaborate on origination, preparation, knowledge-sharing, and portfolio monitoring to accelerate project bankability and execution.