The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) have formalized a strategic alliance. The two institutions signed a Joint Project Preparation Facility (JPPF) Framework Agreement on the sidelines of the recently concluded fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025).
The agreement, signed by Ms. Oluranti Doherty, Afreximbank’s Managing Director of Export Development, and Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann, ShafDB’s Managing Director and CEO, is designed to unlock a cumulative investment value of at least one billion dollars, marking a pivotal step towards transforming housing and urban development across Africa.
The partnership aims to address the critical gap in the development cycle: the early stages of project conception. The JPPF will provide essential financing to propel vital projects from mere concepts to bankable, investment-ready opportunities.
This initiative will focus on a wide array of priority sectors that form the backbone of modern economies, including building and construction, housing, healthcare, hospitality and tourism, industrial projects, the manufacturing of building materials, and crucial logistical platforms such as industrial zones and special economic zones.
Furthermore, it will incorporate a robust capacity-building programme specifically designed to enhance the project preparation skills of ShafDB staff, empowering them with the expertise needed to develop a sustainable pipeline of impactful projects.
According to Ms. Oluranti Doherty, the partnership has a lot of potential. “This partnership aligns with our shared vision of promoting economic growth and enhancing the quality of projects on the continent. By combining ShafDB’s expertise in housing and urban development and Afreximbank’s extensive experience in project preparation, we are poised to unlock new opportunities and deliver transformative projects in critical sectors that will, among other benefits, establish economic hubs and platforms that will promote trade and tradeable services,” she said.
She emphasized that these projects will establish economic hubs and platforms to promote trade and tradeable services, acting as a catalyst for private sector investment and leading to substantial socio-economic development across the continent.
On the other hand, Mr. Hann highlighted how the partnership directly tackles a major structural challenge in the sector: the insufficient preparation of projects. He noted that ShafDB has already addressed the issue of unreliable data through its innovative VIRAL model.
“Today, we are proud to tackle the second challenge through this strategic partnership with Afreximbank. The Joint Project Preparation Facility will enable us to move projects from concept to bankability with speed and precision, unlocking over one billion dollars in investments. This is a transformative step toward building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities across Africa,” Mr. Hann added.
With both Afreximbank and ShafDB as founding members of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), their shared commitment will foster economic development for the continent. The signing at IATF2025 further highlights the trade fair’s role as a premier platform for forging deals that drive African prosperity; the event itself is projected to result in trade and investment deals valued at over Sh5.70 trillion ($44 billion).
