Africa's infrastructure sector stands at a transformative crossroads, with massive opportunities to bridge critical gaps, drive economic growth, and foster continental connectivity. The Infrastructure Africa 2026 Conference & Exhibition – the continent's leading platform for infrastructure investment and development – will convene from 2–3 March 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa.

The event unites governments, project developers, investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), private equity firms, EPC contractors, and technology providers to focus on turning ambitious pipelines into bankable, financeable realities. Key themes include:   project preparation, de-risking strategies, innovative financing (including PPPs and blended finance), corridor development, and alignment with AfCFTA goals and sustainable development priorities.

Africa's infrastructure challenge is immense, yet the potential is equally vast: 

• The continent faces an annual infrastructure financing gap estimated at $68–108 billion (with broader needs ranging from $130–170 billion per year to meet basic requirements and up to $181–221 billion to achieve SDGs).  Actual annual spending hovers around $75–80 billion, leaving a persistent shortfall that costs Africa approximately $500 billion in lost GDP, 74 million jobs, and one million lives annually.
• Strategic investments could yield massive returns: every $1 billion invested in African infrastructure unlocks up to $6 billion in GDP value through enhanced productivity, job creation, logistics efficiency, and service access.
• An ambitious annual push of $155 billion in infrastructure investment could boost long-term GDP growth to 8.9%, more than doubling Africa's economic output by 2040 and surpassing Agenda 2063 targets.
• Transport and energy dominate needs (with roads at ~32% and railways at ~24% of requirements), while water/sanitation, digital connectivity, and urban systems offer high-impact opportunities for entrepreneurship and inclusive growth.

Infrastructure Africa 2026 addresses these realities head-on, emphasizing early-stage project preparation, robust feasibility studies, risk mitigation, regulatory alignment, and corridor-based investments to attract private capital and accelerate delivery.

“Infrastructure is the backbone of Africa's growth story—connecting people, places, and opportunities while powering industrialization, trade, and resilience,” said Liz Hart, Managing Director of the event. “Infrastructure Africa 2026 is where stakeholders converge to de-risk investments, prepare projects effectively, and forge the partnerships that will close the gap and deliver sustainable impact.”  The event builds on a proven track record of facilitating high-value connections and outcomes, serving as the essential gathering for Africa's infrastructure ecosystem.