Development finance institution the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Japanese engineering company JGC Corporation have signed an agreement to cooperate in the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Africa.

The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two institutions to jointly promote development, share information and knowledge, and explore co-financing opportunities for SAF and other green aviation solutions on the continent.

The production and adoption of SAF in Africa is consistent with the AfDB’s sustainable transport and mobility and energy transition strategy.

The cooperation with JGC will include undertaking of demand and feasibility studies for production and adoption of Japanese technology to Africa in this regard, the AfDB says.

Under the terms of the agreement, the AfDB will facilitate coordination and dialogue with public sector aviation stakeholders, identify potential project pipelines and explore possible financing options, including feasibility study support and promoting global partnership around the concept in Africa, as well as debt or equity financing.

Further, JGC Corporation will conduct demand studies for SAF in African markets, perform technical feasibility assessments, evaluate deployment opportunities tailored to local resources and infrastructure and harness and facilitate Japanese technology adoption to Africa in this regard, the bank says.

“Adopting SAF in Africa is a crucial component of the journey to cutting the continent’s carbon dioxide emissions and should boost the competitiveness of the sector over time. This partnership with JGC will help unlock new opportunities for green aviation and position Africa as a pace-setter in the sector,” says AfDB private sector, infrastructure and industrialisation VP Solomon Quaynor.

“By leveraging our experience in plant engineering and sustainable energy, we aim to contribute to Africa’s decarbonisation efforts and advance SAF in Africa while fostering local economic growth and innovation,” says JGC Corporation president Shoji Yamada.

SAF is a term for jet fuel made from renewable sources like plant oils, waste materials and even captured carbon, and is designed to reduce the environmental impact of air travel.