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The African Development Bank (AfDB) is set to launch a Pan-African Financial Coordination Platform aimed at strengthening collaboration among regional financial institutions and improving the efficient deployment of capital across the continent.
AfDB President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah, announced the initiative after a consultative meeting with key development finance institutions (DFIs), held shortly after earlier engagements with African securities exchanges as part of broader industry consultations.
Ould Tah noted that African nations require substantial financial resources to meet their development goals, making closer cooperation among DFIs essential.
He stressed that regional institutions, being closest to on-the-ground beneficiaries, must have their capital structures reinforced to enable them to deliver effectively on their mandates.
To advance the initiative, the AfDB will establish a task force to address several issues raised during the consultative sessions, including de-risking, equity strengthening, improved access to concessional financing and liquidity support mechanisms.
Ould Tah hinted that further discussions would take place in London in mid-December with private-sector leaders and global rating agencies, following the conclusion of the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund.
The meeting drew participation from the leadership of major regional DFIs, including the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, the West African Development Bank, Shelter Afrique and the Africa Finance Corporation.
Admassu Tadesse, President of the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, emphasised the need to develop new stabilisation tools.
He advocated for the creation of a standby liquidity facility and the deployment of callable capital guarantees, noting that multilateral development banks such as the AfDB possess instruments capable of reducing financing costs and enhancing development outcomes.
Serge Ekue, President of the West African Development Bank, highlighted the economic pressures arising from political instability in parts of West Africa.
He said deteriorating credit ratings across the region made the AfDB’s AAA rating crucial for restoring investor confidence and stabilising markets.
Ekue also emphasised the need to streamline roles and avoid duplication of effort, adding that regional DFIs “are small enough to care, but big enough to execute”.
Dr George Donkor, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, reinforced calls for deeper coordination among African financial institutions.
He said stronger partnerships — particularly through co-lending and syndication — would allow larger players to support smaller DFIs and strengthen Africa’s overall development financing capacity.
