The African Development Bank (AfDB) will join global leaders at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, this week with a focus on strengthening partnerships and mobilising new investments for Africa.
The high-level forum, running from 20–22 August, comes as African economies grapple with limited funding and the urgent need to build resilience against economic and climate shocks.
Organised in partnership with the United Nations, UNDP, the World Bank and the African Union Commission, TICAD has, since 1993, served as a major platform driving Africa’s development through aid, technical cooperation and private sector engagement.
Senior AfDB officials expected at the meeting include Vice Presidents Kevin Kariuki (Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth), Solomon Quaynor (Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation), Nnenna Nwabufo (Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery), and Kevin Urama (Economic Governance & Knowledge Management).
The Bank’s collaboration with Japan has expanded significantly over the years, particularly through the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa (EPSA) initiative. Since its launch in 2005, EPSA has unlocked billions of dollars in co-financing for infrastructure and private sector projects. A new phase, EPSA6, will be signed during TICAD9.
The AfDB will also use the platform to highlight opportunities for Japanese investment in sectors such as energy, green hydrogen, health, agriculture, education and transport. Its flagship Africa Investment Forum will be promoted as a vehicle for channelling global capital into transformative African projects.
Energy challenges will be a major theme at the gathering. At a pre-conference event on Tuesday, AfDB Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Wale Shonibare, stressed that 600 million Africans remain without electricity while 900 million lack clean cooking access. He called TICAD9 “a catalytic platform” to mobilise innovation and financing for the continent’s power sector.
The AfDB said its participation in Yokohama underscores its commitment to accelerating Africa’s development through stronger partnerships with Japan and other global partners.
Obinna Ezugwu
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