The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed a Joint Project Preparation Facility (JPPF) Facility Agreement with the South African Government for the development of infrastructure in the country.
The facility pact, which aims to expedite the preparation of vital infrastructure projects by the Government’s Infrastructure South Africa (ISA) Programme within the National Department of Public Works And Infrastructure, was signed during a ceremony at the sidelines of the just concluded Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers, Algeria.
Specifically, the JPPF is designed to co-finance preparation and delivery of high-quality, bankable projects across several critical sectors, including energy, transport and logistics, and digital infrastructure; and expected to unlock investments totalling at least US$ 750 million, thereby contributing to the country’s economic development.
By combining Afreximbank’s financial expertise with strategic oversight of ISA, the partnership seeks to create a robust pipeline of bankable projects essential for closing South Africa’s infrastructure gap and by so doing, stimulate industrialisation and attract both public and private sector investments.
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Speaking during the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister in the Presidency of South Africa, Mr. Kenny Molong, underscored the importance of the collaboration with the bank.
He said: “The slow progression of project concepts into fully implemented projects often stems from insufficient vigour in the project preparation phase. This partnership with Afreximbank positions us to transform concepts into viable infrastructure projects that will attract private sector financing and deliver socio-economic benefits. Collaboration is key; no single nation or organisation has all the answers.”
In her remarks, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Export Development, Ms. Oluranti Doherty, expressed optimism on the benefits of the collaboration with the Government of South Africa.
The banker said: “We are pleased to partner with Government of South Africa, a pivotal regional economic powerhouse, to address its infrastructure challenges. Our goal is to establish a cohesive and interconnected infrastructure ecosystem that will elevate South Africa’s competitiveness and spur economic development, extending benefits beyond its borders into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region thereby promoting Intra-African trade and regional integration. Through this partnership, we aim to mobilise essential funding and technical expertise to de-risk projects at a critical stage in their development, enhancing the quality and speed of infrastructure delivery.”
She restated the bank’s commitment to collaborating with government entities and welcomed the opportunity to partner with other governments to maximise the impact of this strategic intervention in in SSA.
In addition, the Acting Head of Infrastructure South Africa, Ms Mameetse Masemola, described the partnership as long overdue, noting that “this is a huge milestone for ISA that will go a long way in developing a credible infrastructure pipeline as mandated by H.E President Cyril Ramaphosa.”
