African Development Bank Deepens Collaboration with Sovereign Wealth Funds to Boost Africa’s Financial Autonomy

Abidjan, October 21, 2025 — The President of the African Development Bank Group, Sidi Ould Tah, held a high-level working session on Tuesday at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan with several leaders of African sovereign wealth institutions.

The discussions centered on transforming Africa’s financial architecture and creating a continental platform capable of mobilizing capital to finance large-scale development projects. Among the key themes were the improvement of creditworthiness data quality, the design of innovative financial instruments to mitigate risks for cross-border investments, and the reduction of borrowing costs to enhance sustainable growth across the continent.

This initiative forms part of President Ould Tah’s ambitious “Four Cardinal Points” programme, which seeks to unlock Africa’s internal financial potential and expand access to capital by leveraging the continent’s own resources.

In 2022, the African Development Bank Group and the African Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF) — an alliance comprising 17 African sovereign wealth funds — signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster the development of green and climate-resilient infrastructure projects.

By strengthening partnerships with sovereign investors, the Bank aims to catalyze new investment flows, boost regional financial independence, and build a stronger, more resilient African economy led by homegrown capital and innovation.