Africa Finance Corporation and Nigerian Exchange Limited have partnered to strengthen the technical capacity of stakeholders in building and financing infrastructure projects through the Nigerian capital market.
The two companies recently concluded a two-day capacity development program aimed at strengthening their technical capabilities in this area, according to a statement from the partners on Monday.
The workshop, held in Lagos this month, convened experts from regulators, institutional investors, project sponsors and financial institutions to strengthen project and infrastructure finance expertise and consider how Nigeria’s capital markets can serve as a key platform for sustainable infrastructure financing.
The Association of Real Estate Surveyors and Valuers of Nigeria said Nigeria’s infrastructure stock, at 30 per cent, is far below the global standard of 70 per cent, leading to a potential deficit of $2.3 trillion by 2043, with $100 billion per year needed to close the gap.
“Bridging the continent’s financing gap requires building local expertise and strong market structures that can support complex, long-term projects. At AFC, we are committed to advancing the complete framework needed to deliver bankable and sustainable infrastructure solutions, not just project finance,” said Bandi Fehintra, Director and Head of Financial Services at AFC. Our partnership with NGX reflects our belief that the Nigerian capital market can and must play a vital role in mobilizing the scale of domestic resources needed to drive global financing.” We aim for the long-term development of the country. ”
Throughout the two-day program, participants explored project structuring, risk allocation, and credit enhancement frameworks – essential tools for bringing infrastructure assets to market. The session also explored emerging capital market instruments such as green bonds, infrastructure REITs, blended finance structures, and partial risk guarantees, highlighting realistic pathways for mobilizing domestic and international long-term funds for infrastructure.
NGX Chief Executive Officer Jude Chimeka emphasized the importance of deepening expertise across markets.
“As capital markets assume a more central role in financing African development, building technical expertise across the ecosystem is critical. Through our purpose-built capacity building platform, NGX “This collaboration with AFC is an important step in ensuring Nigeria and the wider region develops the institutional capacity to attract and deploy patient capital at scale.”
This workshop marked a milestone in the growing partnership between AFC and NGX, strengthening our shared commitment to achieving sustainable, market-driven infrastructure financing. The agencies said they plan to build on this momentum through follow-up initiatives aimed at deepening engagement and translating insights from the program into concrete financing solutions for critical infrastructure projects.
