Africa has a portfolio of around 130 transnational infrastructure projects across the energy, transport, digital, and water sectors, yet only 6% are currently under construction. The challenge lies not in planning but in execution. A report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), authored by Thomas Kingombe, Tolu Oyekan, Seddik El Fihri, Trudi Makhaya, Thinesh Vittee, and Aarefah Mathir, identifies three main blockages: poor coordination across a complex stakeholder landscape, funding difficulties, and limited execution capability.
The gap costs Africa an estimated $500 billion in GDP, 74 million jobs, and one million lives each year, putting 2040 development targets at risk. Coordination issues among institutions such as the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, and Regional Economic Communities contribute to delays, particularly in cross-border projects. The continent faces a $60 billion annual infrastructure funding gap and a shortage of about five million skilled professionals.
BCG identifies three levers to accelerate delivery:
- Mobilise targeted private sector participation by structuring viable projects, creating investment platforms, and fostering early collaboration.
- Harmonise regulations and strengthen cross-border capabilities through aligned legal frameworks and fast-tracked treaties, as demonstrated by the Lobito Corridor.
- Enhance project bankability by using risk-mitigation tools such as guarantees, blended finance, and viability gap funding.
An institutional enabler, an innovative coordination mechanism with stronger private-sector partnership, is seen as essential for disciplined, fast delivery.
The report concludes that execution must become the centrepiece of development planning. Every $1 billion invested in African infrastructure could unlock up to $6 billion in GDP through productivity, jobs, and improved services.
Read more here: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/bridging-africas-infrastructure-execution-gap
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