AfDB Heads to AGES 2026 to Mobilise Green Capital for Africa

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) will step up its climate finance push at the Africa Green Economy Summit (AGES) 2026 in Cape Town from 24–27 February, positioning itself at the centre of efforts to unlock large-scale investment for Africa's low-carbon and climate-resilient transformation.

AGES is a pan-African dealmaking platform designed to connect global capital with investment-ready green and blue economy projects. It convenes investors, policymakers and project developers to accelerate financing pipelines across energy, transport, water, waste, agriculture, infrastructure and climate technology.

From Climate Ambition to Bankable Projects

At this year's summit, the Bank will focus on converting climate ambition into investable opportunities, reinforcing its role as a key bridge between public policy and private capital.

Representing the Climate Change and Green Growth Department will be Edith Ofwona Adera, Olufunso Somorin and Gerald Njume, who will participate in high-level panels, investor roundtables and technical sessions.

Their engagement will highlight the Bank's strategic priorities in:

• Green investment mobilisation

• Carbon and nature finance

• Green jobs and youth entrepreneurship

• Scaled climate investment platforms

• Strengthening project preparation and delivery capacity

The Bank aims to deepen partnerships that connect institutional investors with credible African projects and delivery partners.

Carbon Markets and Nature Finance in Focus

A key theme for the Bank will be expanding Africa's role in global carbon and nature finance markets.

Bank representatives will advance discussions on:

• Enabling policy and regulatory frameworks

• Building credible carbon market infrastructure

• Unlocking new revenue streams from nature-based solutions

• Aligning investments with Africa's climate resilience priorities

These conversations come as African countries seek greater participation in voluntary and compliance carbon markets, amid growing global demand for high-integrity carbon credits.

Scaling the Green Investment Program for Africa

The Bank will also present its Green Investment Program for Africa, outlining how it is building large-scale, investable platforms capable of crowding in private capital.

The approach focuses on structuring blended finance vehicles, de-risking early-stage projects, and developing pipelines that meet international investor standards.

By strengthening project preparation and aggregation, the Bank aims to move beyond fragmented initiatives toward scalable solutions aligned with national climate strategies.

YouthADAPT and Green Entrepreneurship

A strong youth dimension will feature at AGES 2026 through the YouthADAPT Technical Workshop, supported by the Bank.

The initiative provides technical assistance to youth-led climate enterprises and connects startups and SMEs with venture capital and infrastructure investors.

The workshop will include stakeholder consultations, pitch sessions and capacity-building modules to strengthen Africa's next generation of climate innovators.

Summit Programme Highlights

The Bank's engagements at AGES 2026 include:

Day 1 – Tuesday, 24 February

• Climate Carbon & Nature Financing Academy

• YouthADAPT Stakeholder Consultative Workshop (Day 1)

Day 2 – Wednesday, 25 February

• Investor Roundtables: Connecting Funds with Partners and Projects

• Opening Session: From Ambition to Action — Scaling Investment in Africa's Green and Blue Solutions

• Green Investment Program for Africa session

• YouthADAPT Workshop (Day 2)

Day 3 – Thursday, 26 February

• Investor Roundtables

• Keynote Session: The Human Capital Imperative — Building Skills for Africa's Green Transition

Driving Africa's Green Transition

With climate impacts intensifying across the continent — from droughts and floods to energy insecurity — mobilising capital at scale remains one of Africa's most pressing development challenges.

The AfDB's participation at AGES 2026 signals a sharpened institutional focus on aligning climate finance, youth employment, infrastructure development and private sector growth.

Updates from the summit will be shared through the Bank's communication channels and social media platforms.