Public-private partnerships needed to bridge infrastructure development gap in Africa

Abstract

Publics-private partnerships (PPPs) are crucial for addressing the infrastructure development gap in Africa, as highlighted by Robert Lisinge, Acting Director of the Private Sector Development and Finance Division at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), during the African Economic Conference 2023. With an estimated annual infrastructure financing need of $130 to $170 billion, and a significant gap of $68 to $108 billion, there is an urgent call for collaboration between governments and the private sector. The ECA is actively working to enhance PPP frameworks across African nations, focusing on capacity building and resource mobilization. Experts emphasize the importance of innovative financing solutions and risk-sharing mechanisms in PPPs to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in sectors like clean energy and sanitation.