The African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional financing arm of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), is scaling up its impact across 37 low-income African countries, with a focus on infrastructure, climate resilience, and regional integration.

 

At the recent African Transformation Briefing, co-hosted by the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) and the Global Strategic Communications Council, development leaders and policymakers discussed the Fund’s strategic direction and catalytic role in Africa’s economic transformation.

 

Valerie Dabady, Manager of Resource Mobilization and Partnerships at AfDB, emphasised the Fund’s legacy and future ambitions:

 

“With 37 member countries and over $45 billion in investments since inception, the African Development Fund is a cornerstone of Africa’s development financing architecture. As we look toward the future, innovations like market borrowing and expanded donor engagement will be critical to increasing our impact.”

 

Joseph Chanda, Assistant Director for Economic Management and Planning at Zambia’s Ministry of Finance, shared Zambia’s experience with ADF-backed projects:

 

“ADF financing has played a transformative role in Zambia. By allocating just 10% of our national resources to the Lobito Corridor, we were able to leverage over $330 million in regional window co-financing. These are the types of investments that build real economies and regional prosperity.”

 

The Lobito Corridor, a $500 million strategic rail and road initiative connecting Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, is set to unlock investment in logistics, agriculture, and critical minerals essential to the global energy transition. Another success story is the Kazungula Bridge Project, a $68 million regional integration effort completed in 2021, which now facilitates trade between Southern and Central Africa through modern border infrastructure.

 

Kerezhi Sebany, Africa Director for Economic Opportunities at the ONE Campaign, called for greater visibility and support:

 

“We must shine a light on the African Development Fund. When people know what the Fund is and what it delivers, it fosters transparency, trust, and partnership. Now is the time to tell the ADF story and tell it boldly.”

 

The ADF is currently in its 17th replenishment cycle (ADF-17), with virtual consultative meetings scheduled for September and a follow-up session in Lusaka, Zambia in October. The final pledging session will take place in December 2025. -TradeArabia News Service