Africa PPP summit heads to Nairobi with Deal Room project pitches

The 16th Africa PPP Infrastructure Finance, Investment & Partnerships Summit will convene public project owners, financiers and developers in Nairobi from 11–13 November 2026 to test how African infrastructure projects can move from planning to financing and delivery. Kenya’s selected Deal Room projects, along with ministerial participation from Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania, are set to anchor the discussions.

Why it matters: - The summit is designed to connect infrastructure project preparation with actual financing and delivery. - Kenya’s selected Deal Room projects give investors and public officials specific opportunities to test bankability, revenue models and procurement pathways. - The agenda spans transport, energy, water, health, digital infrastructure and local infrastructure delivery, all central to economic growth.

What happened: - The 16th Africa PPP Infrastructure Finance, Investment & Partnerships Summit will take place in Nairobi from 11–13 November 2026. - The event will bring together public project owners, financiers, developers and advisers. - The summit is hosted by Kenya’s Public Private Partnerships Directorate and organised by AME Trade Limited, with support from the State Department for Public Investments and Assets Management, Kenya. - The theme is “Building Africa’s Prosperity: Transformative Infrastructure, Investment and Partnerships to Accelerate Economic Development.” - Confirmed participation includes Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Infrastructure and Road Maintenance, Tanzania’s Minister of Works, Africa50, Zanzibar Ports Corporation and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company. - Registration is open for government officials, project owners, investors, financiers, developers, operators and advisers. - Delegates can choose conference-only participation or a package that includes the masterclass. - Technical visits are planned for 14 November.

The details: - Honourable Ministers Yacouba Hien SIÉ of Cote d’Ivoire and Masanja Kungu KADOGOSA of Tanzania will join a high-level ministerial roundtable on infrastructure for regional integration and industrialisation. - Robert Lisinge of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is scheduled to deliver the continental keynote on behalf of Executive Secretary Claver Gatete. - Financing sessions will include contributors from Africa50, the International Finance Corporation, British International Investment, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and African Trade & Investment Development Insurance. - Those sessions will examine how preparation support, guarantees, insurance and risk allocation can help projects meet financing requirements. - Zanzibar Ports Corporation Director General Akif Ali Khamis will join a session on ports, zones and industrial parks. - The ports session is expected to draw on the Marhubi/Mpiga Duri Passenger and Ro-Ro Terminal and Mangapwani Multipurpose Port as case studies. - Kenya’s Deal Room will also highlight proposed development and concessioning of Kenya Ports Authority assets in Lamu and Mombasa. - The energy discussion will feature Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias of KETRACO and Eng. Tarik Hamane, Group CEO of Morocco’s National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water. - The energy panel will examine transmission investment, regional power trade and reliable electricity supply for industry. - Transmission line projects to be developed through solicited PPPs are among Kenya’s selected Deal Room projects. - Representatives of Bungoma and Kakamega county governments will join the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility, World Bank Group and FSD Africa on local infrastructure delivery. - That session will focus on how subnational authorities can prepare credible project pipelines through institutional capacity, feasibility work, revenue models and investor engagement. - A full-day masterclass on 11 November will cover project identification and appraisal, structuring, procurement and implementation. - Facilitators from PPP Training Online, Oterrandi, the African Legal Support Facility and Weircapacity will use practical examples to discuss how public institutions can strengthen projects before and after financial close. - The summit conference follows on 12–13 November. - The Africa PPP Deal Room is built for closed-door project discussions and investor feedback. - Kenyan projects in the Deal Room include Konza’s data cloud expansion and smart city facilities, Njoro Kubwa Bulk Water Supply and a cancer centre at Meru Level 5 Referral Hospital. - The program also includes an invitation-only Kenya Infrastructure Investment Spotlight breakfast and networking opportunities. - Sponsors include Africa50, the African Legal Support Facility, German Cooperation, Oterrandi, MIIG, Zutari, Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews and Arup. - The International Project Finance Association supports the summit as an association partner. - More information is available on the summit website.

Between the lines: - The summit’s structure shows a push to move PPP discussions beyond policy into project-specific deal making. - The inclusion of ministers, financiers and advisers in the same program suggests an effort to shorten the distance between project design and capital commitment. - The Deal Room format indicates a focus on projects that are not just announced, but advanced enough for investor scrutiny.

What’s next: - The masterclass will run on 11 November, followed by the two-day conference on 12–13 November. - Deal Room sessions are expected to generate investor feedback on readiness, risk allocation and financing gaps. - Technical visits on 14 November will give delegates a closer look at infrastructure opportunities and local project context. - Organizers are inviting further registrations and partnership inquiries ahead of the summit.