Bridging Africa’s infrastructure deficit: APD 2025 to focus on solutions

The upcoming Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD 2025) is set to address one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: the continent’s infrastructure deficit.
Scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, from January 30 to February 1, 2025, this high-profile event aims to deliver actionable solutions to enhance infrastructure development and drive the realization of a single African market.
Organized by the Africa Prosperity Network (APN) under the theme “Delivering Africa’s Single Market through Infrastructure: Invest, Integrate, Connect,” the conference will gather 1,000 stakeholders, including business leaders, entrepreneurs, and heads of government.
APD 2025 is expected to chart a course toward achieving the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by prioritizing infrastructure as a critical enabler of trade and economic growth.

Aggregating challenges and opportunities
Addressing the partners’ cocktail engagement held as a prelude to APD 2025, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Founder and Executive Chairman of APN, highlighted the need for collaboration to overcome Africa’s infrastructure deficit.
He stressed that realizing the AfCFTA’s vision requires building and maintaining robust networks of roads, railways, and air transport across the continent’s borders.
“We must aggregate our worth, our work, the riches of our continent, and our potential. Only through unity—political, business, and thought leadership—can we achieve the singular goal of a fully integrated single market,” Mr. Otchere-Darko emphasized.

Energy infrastructure at the core
Ghana’s Energy Minister, Herbert Krapa, underscored the importance of energy infrastructure in powering Africa’s industrialization and trade ambitions.
He highlighted that Africa’s energy demand is projected to grow by 6% annually until 2040. However, 750 million Africans still lack access to electricity, presenting a significant hurdle to development.
“To meet rising demand, Africa’s power generation capacity must increase from the current 124 gigawatts to 700 gigawatts by 2040,” Mr. Krapa said.
He outlined key strategies for addressing this gap, including harnessing the continent’s abundant solar resources, expanding hydropower projects like the Grand Inga Dam in Congo, and fostering cross-border energy collaboration.
The minister also stressed the need for harmonizing energy tariffs, establishing an African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), and leveraging natural gas reserves to power industries. “Affordable and reliable energy will be the backbone of our manufacturing and industrialization goals,” he added.

AfCFTA: A framework for prosperity
In a speech delivered on his behalf, Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of AfCFTA, reiterated the transformative potential of the AfCFTA agreement.
Projections indicate that a fully implemented AfCFTA could create a $6.7 trillion market by 2030 and $16.12 trillion by 2050. Moreover, it is expected to lift 50 million Africans out of extreme poverty by 2035.
“Without investments in transport corridors, energy systems, and digital networks, the full potential of the AfCFTA cannot be realized,” Mr. Mene warned.
He highlighted successful infrastructure initiatives like the Mozambique-South Africa gas pipeline as examples of the power of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in unlocking Africa’s development.

UN commitment to supporting APD goals
Charles Abani, the UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the Africa Prosperity Dialogues.
He called for attention to five critical areas: sustainable financing, digital infrastructure, improved food systems, job creation with social protections, and fostering intra-African trade.
“These are the building blocks for a prosperous, integrated Africa,” Mr. Abani remarked. He urged stakeholders to use APD 2025 as a platform to align strategies for sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.

Infrastructure as the backbone of integration
Infrastructure remains the foundation of Africa’s integration and economic transformation.
Efficient transport networks, robust energy systems, and digital connectivity are vital to reducing the cost of trade and enabling the seamless movement of goods, services, and people.
The infrastructure deficit, however, is significant. From poor road networks to inadequate railways and limited digital penetration, the continent faces challenges that require bold investments and innovative solutions.
As APD 2025 convenes, the focus will be on galvanizing resources, engaging private sector actors, and fostering partnerships to bridge these gaps.

The role of APN in driving Africa’s development
The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) continues to spearhead efforts toward Africa’s economic integration through platforms like the Africa Prosperity Dialogues.
With its commitment to the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, APN fosters partnerships among political, business, and thought leaders to drive trade, commerce, and economic progress.
As APD 2025 approaches, the hope is that the discussions and solutions generated will pave the way for a more connected, prosperous Africa—one where infrastructure no longer serves as a barrier but as a bridge to the continent’s shared aspirations