SHAPING THE FUTURE

OF AFRICA
Markets and Opportunities for
Private Investors
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
IFC
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First printing, March 2018

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Photo Credits
Cover: Dominic Chavez, IFC; Page 4: Stephan Gladieu, World Bank; Page 8: Dana Smillie, World Bank; Page 22: Arne Hoel,
World Bank; Page 23: Azito; Page 24: Vitol; Page 25: Dominic Chavez, IFC; Page 26: Mobisol; Page 27: John Hogg, World Bank;
Page 28: IFC; Page 29: Afriflora; Page 30: Mohamad Al-Arief, World Bank; Page 31: Dana Smillie, World Bank
SHAPING THE
FUTURE OF AFRICA
Markets and Opportunities
for Private Investors
AUTHORS
DILEK AYKUT, Senior Economist, Global Macro, Market and Portfolio Research, Economics and Private Sector
Development, IFC

MONIKA BLASZKIEWICZ-SCHWARTZMAN, Economist, Global Macro, Market and Portfolio Research, Economics
and Private Sector Development, IFC

CONTRIBUTORS
Omar Chaudry, Desmond Dodd, Vincent Arthur Floreani, Jean Pierre Lacombe, Liane Lohde, Florian Mölders,
Thomas Rehermann, Friedemann Roy

CONTENT ADVISORS
Economics and Private Sector Development | Neil Gregory, Thomas Rehermann
Sub-Saharan Africa | Frank Douamba, Cheikh Oumar Seydi
Partnerships, Communications & Outreach | Desmond Dodd, Nadine S. Ghannam

PROJECT AND CONTENT TEAM

Project Manager | Thomas Rehermann
Editors | Matt Benjamin, Ofeoritse Daibo
Research Assistant | Sulayman J. K. Cham
Composition and Design | Rikki Campbell Ogden
CONTENTS

5 | EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

9 | MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR

PRIVATE INVESTORS IN AFRICA

23 | CASE STUDIES
Azito and CIPREL Expansions Invigorate Côte d’Ivoire’s Power Sector

Ghana’s Sankofa Gas Project—An Opportunity to Correct an Ailing

Power Sector

Dakar Toll Road Dramatically Reduces Traffic Congestion to Capital City

Mobisol Connects a Continent to Change

Francophone Africa Seeks Opportunities in the Housing Finance Market

Zambia’s Metalco Recycles Kabwe’s Toxic Lead Waste

Ethiopian Rose Producer Afriflora is Boosting Exports… and Jobs

Madagascar Seeks to Create a Market in Beef Exports

Solar Energy Brings Affordable Electricity to Egypt

32 | REFERENCES
4
Executive Summary
AFRICA IS ON THE REBOUND including favorable demographic trends, economic
reforms, infrastructure investment, buoyant services
The end of the commodity super cycle in 2014 hit Sub- sectors, and strong agricultural production.
Saharan economies hard, sending economic growth
to a two-decade low by 2016 as prices of crude oil, Africa’s demographics are unique and brimming
commodities, and other African exports fell dramatically. with potential. In an aging world, the region has a
In addition, global financial factors reduced the interest young and growing population. Rapid urbanization is
of international investors in the region. expected to double the population of cities within 25
years, raising hopes for the productivity, innovation,
But after a few years of sluggish growth, most of
and economic diversification that such trends have
the region’s economies are returning to previous
levels of expansion. brought to other regions.

Capital flows into the region, in the form of bank By 2030, Africa’s middle- and high-income groups are
lending and equity and bond offerings, have expected to grow by 100 million, boosting them to
strengthened considerably, reflecting improved global over 160 million people across the region. These rapidly
sentiment toward emerging markets in general and in expanding groups of consumers will spend smaller
Africa in particular. Remittances, an important source portions of their income on basic necessities such
of capital and foreign exchange for all developing as food and beverages and more on transportation,
countries and no less so for Africa, are also improving. information and communication technologies, housing,
education, clothing and footwear, pharmaceuticals,
Progress is uneven across the continent, as resource
and other products and services.
intensive economies—especially oil exporters such
as Angola and Nigeria—continue to lag, while Technology is a particularly bright area for Africa.
agricultural exporters enjoy stable growth. And several Innovative technology adaptations are creating
large economies—Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, opportunities for economies to “leapfrog,” or skip
Tanzania, and Ghana in particular—have posted conventional development steps to more rapidly catch
growth rates of over 6 percent over the last few years. up with advanced economies. Africa continues to
Overall, the economic outlook for the region is positive, lead the world in innovative financial services based
with economic growth expected to rise to 3.2 percent on mobile telephony, a trend that is rapidly bringing
this year and 3.6 percent in 2020, according to World banking and other financial services to the unbanked
Bank Group data. and underbanked.

The overall climate for business continues to improve,

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE as African reforms tracked in the World Bank Group’s
PRIVATE SECTOR Doing Business annual survey continue to rise. The
Despite the recent economic drag, Africa is a rapidly growth of local capital markets, though still nascent in
expanding market that represents significant economic most countries, continues apace across the region.
opportunity for private enterprises and investors
All in all, private enterprises and investors that are
around the world.
prepared to take advantage of these trends and serve
The region’s economic potential is about more than Africa’s burgeoning consumer classes stand poised to
recovering commodity prices. Other forces are at work, tap new markets and reap significant gains.

5
OBSTACLES REMAIN sanitation, for example—is not closing as quickly
as regional governments had hoped. Growing cities,
However, significant obstacles stand between African despite their potential, continue to struggle in terms
economies and full-tilt growth and progress. of costliness, housing availability, efficient delivery of
services, and other issues.
A general lack of financing continues to constrain
growth and development in the region, as less than These can be overcome or mitigated through joint
a quarter of adults have access to formal financial efforts by regional governments, the World Bank
services. The region’s infrastructure gap—a lack Group and other multilateral development banks, and
of electricity, roads and other transportation, and private enterprises.

The many positive developments across Africa—including progressing economic

reforms in many countries, technological advances, urbanization, and growing middle
classes—could prove to be significant opportunities for both African economies and
businesses seeking to engage with them.

CASE STUDIES The Sankofa Gas Project is expected to generate $2.3

billion in revenues for Ghana’s government and provide
A multitude of private and public-private initiatives
a stable, long-term source of domestic gas that will help
across Africa—many of them assisted by IFC and World
solve the country’s chronic gas supply constraints.
Bank financing—seek to serve a region now being
transformed by technological advances, urbanization,
Senegal | Transport Eiffage Toll Road
and growing middle classes.
A partnership between government, development
Côte d’Ivoire | Azito and CIPREL finance institutions including IFC and the World Bank,
and the private sector brought West Africa’s first
IFC invested and mobilized a total of $785 million
public-private partnership toll road to Senegal. The
to expand independent electricity producers Azito
Energie and CIPREL in Côte d’Ivoire. The result is a 24-kilometer highway initially connected Dakar and
more competitive power market that meets growing Diamniadio, reducing commuting times dramatically
consumer demand with improved service and lower and creating an important source of employment and
prices. Projects included a new 300-megawatt gas-fired income. It has now been extended to the nation’s new
plant and a technology upgrade of an existing plant. international airport.
Blackouts and brownouts in the country have been
dramatically reduced. East Africa | Mobisol

Mobisol is a pay-as-you-go solar energy service company

Ghana | Sankofa Gas Project
delivering renewable energy solutions to off-grid
An offshore oil and natural gas project financed by IFC, communities in East Africa. Mobisol’s high-quality
the World Bank, and private lenders will start producing systems have been conceived to meet the deep and wide-
natural gas this year, transforming Ghana’s energy ranging needs of off-grid communities by leveraging
sector and dramatically reducing carbon emissions. access to mobile money and phones.

6
West Africa | Caisse Régionale de Madagascar | Beef Production
Refinancement Hypothécaire
Despite its natural beauty and biodiversity, Madagascar
Rapid population growth in West Africa is accelerating continues to suffer from stubborn poverty, with much
demand for housing and housing finance. By investing in of the population subsisting on less than $2 a day.
a regional mortgage finance company and its bonds, IFC Agribusiness, however, has the potential to help. IFC is
supporting an investment in a local, private agriculture
and the World Bank are helping to attract profitable,
equipment company to help transform poultry and beef
stable, and responsible institutional investors to the
production on the island, while an IFC supported feedlot
region’s housing finance market, thereby improving the
and slaughterhouse facility will create a new market
affordability of home ownership.
for livestock farmers. The result could be better food
security and resilience, and higher export revenues.
Zambia | Metalco

Once the site of a lead mine, Zambian city Kabwe IFC’s activities support global emerging markets.
suffers from dangerously high lead pollution levels and Beyond Sub-Saharan Africa, IFC has supported projects
associated health problems. An IFC investment into a that demonstrate the power of maximizing finance for
private recycling and waste management company is development. These include important recent projects in
North Africa, including the following:
helping to dispose of lead, recycle other scrap products,
and create jobs and economic growth.
Egypt | Power

Ethiopia | Afriflora A massive solar energy park with 32 power plants in

Egypt’s western desert is poised to disrupt the country’s
Flowers are blooming in Ethiopia. IFC client Afriflora,
energy market. The project should allow the country to
the East African nation’s largest producer and exporter generate 20 percent of its power from renewable sources
of roses, has become the world’s largest rose grower, within five years and dramatically lower energy costs
exporting 900 million roses to Europe each year. A recent for its 90 million residents. It is financed by IFC and a
IFC investment helped the company expand, install new consortium of lenders, supporting 13 private companies
water recycling systems, and create 5,000 new jobs. that will complete and operate the plants. n

7
8
Markets and Opportunities for
Private Investors in Africa
By Dilek Aykut and Monika Blaszkiewicz–Schwartzman

RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS activity, while improved weather conditions triggered a

rebound in food production across the region. In turn,
Following a sharp economic slowdown in 2016, easing food price inflation has helped boost household
a recovery is underway in Sub-Saharan Africa, demand in some countries.1
especially among non-resource intensive economies.
Growth in the region recovered from a two-decade Improved external conditions buoyed
low of 1.3 percent in 2016, to an estimated 2.4 percent international capital flows into the region,
in 2017, as global economic activity and trade gained leading to a build-up of foreign currency reserves,
momentum, commodity prices recovered, and global especially in oil exporting countries. In particular,
financing conditions remained favorable (Figure 1). 2017 saw strong gross capital flows to Sub-Saharan
Oil and metal prices strengthened in 2017, as did Africa in the form of syndicated bank lending and
agriculture prices relevant to the region, with the bond and equity offerings, all of which reflect improved
exception of cocoa prices, which fell sharply last year. global sentiment toward emerging markets (Figure 2).
The region’s access to international capital markets Sovereign bond issuance was at a record high, with
also improved, with a notable increase in sovereign Nigeria, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire selling bonds in
bond issuance. Reinforcing these favorable external international capital markets. Looking at the sectoral
developments, ongoing infrastructure investment and composition, capital flows to the private sector were
monetary policy accommodation supported economic driven largely by natural resources and financial

FIGURE 1 Sub-Saharan Africa’s growth FIGURE 2 Gross flows to Sub-Saharan Africa,

prospects by instrument
Source: “Global Economic Prospects,” World Bank Group, January Source: Dealogic, IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio Research
2018

9
services (Figure 3). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Several large African economies—Ethiopia, Côte
inflows, which fell in 2016 in tandem with weaker d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Tanzania—have posted annual
commodity prices, also rebounded, according to high- average growth rates of more than 6 percent since
frequency data (Figure 4). 2015. In Senegal, growth remained strong and was
supported by broad-based economic reforms. Growth
Formal remittance inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa moderated somewhat in Côte d’Ivoire, declining from
increased by 12 percent, from $34 billion in 2016 8.3 percent in 2016 to 7.6 percent in 2017—a result
to an estimated $38 billion in 2017. Remittance of lower cocoa prices. Similarly, in Tanzania, growth
flows are an important source of external funding and dropped from 7 percent to 6.6 percent, partly due to
foreign exchange for some countries, including Liberia the delayed execution of fiscal plans. Among other
(accounting for 25 percent of GDP), Senegal (15 percent large African economies, Ghana’s growth recovered
of GDP) and Togo (8.5 percent of GDP). In Nigeria in significantly in 2017 on the back of its expanding oil
2017, remittances amounted to $22.3 billion, or 5.6 sector, while drought has taken a toll on economic
percent of GDP. The country also successfully raised activity in Kenya.
$300 million in diaspora bonds in June 2017 to finance
development projects. 2 The medium-term economic outlook for the
region is positive. Economic growth is forecast
The pattern of growth across countries is far from to rise to 3.2 percent in 2018, and increase further
homogeneous. While the SSA region’s three largest to 3.6 percent in 2020 (Figure 1). Again, the regional
economies—Nigeria, South Africa, and Angola— average masks considerable heterogeneity among
continue to exhibit low growth, their performances countries. In fact, excluding South Africa (which has
in 2017 improved from the previous year, marking a been negatively affected by domestic political and
potential turning point that may be linked to recovering economic developments) and two large oil dependent
commodity prices. On the other hand, growth in non- economies (Angola and Nigeria), Sub-Saharan
resource intensive countries—which consist mostly of Africa should continue to expand at a robust pace of
agricultural exporters—has remained broadly stable over around 5 percent, supported in part by infrastructure
the last few years, even during the tepid 2016 season. investments which is above the average for emerging

FIGURE 3 Gross flows to the private sector in FIGURE 4 FDI inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa,
Sub-Saharan Africa, by sector percent of GDP
Source: Dealogic, IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio Research Source: IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio Research

10
market and developing economies (EMDEs) (Figure further due to large currency depreciations against
1). Moreover, the growth rate in these economies is the U.S. dollar since 2014. Poor revenue collection
expected to surpass population growth, with per capita in many African countries may limit their ability to
income growth approaching its long-term level (Figure service debt and exert significant pressures in terms
5). Yet, per capita income growth in the region’s largest of attracting additional capital and could pose some
economies—South Africa, Angola and Nigeria—is debt sustainability concerns. For these reasons, high
expected to be near zero in the medium-term. debt levels represent a significant vulnerability for the
economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, and they may be
Rapidly rising debt levels have clouded Africa’s triggered or amplified by global policy tightening or a
positive medium-term outlook. Favorable global sharp repricing of credit spreads.
financial conditions and investors searching for higher
yields in a low interest rate environment have allowed
African nations to rapidly accumulate debt over the OPPORTUNITIES
last decade. Government debt in African countries has Despite the recent economic drag, Africa is a
grown by 10 percent of GDP, on average, since 2014. rapidly expanding market. Sub-Saharan Africa’s
Debt levels have risen even faster in several African regional economy has quintupled over the last two
nations, including Mozambique, Republic of Congo, decades, from $300 billion in 2000 to $1.6 trillion in
and Angola, with an increase of over 20 percent of 2017, and is projected to surpass $2 trillion within two
GDP in just two years (Figure 6). This rapid debt years (Figure 7). This rapid growth has been driven by
accumulation occurred after the debt relief and debt Africa’s services sector, which represents a tremendous
clearance mechanisms such as the Heavily Indebted economic opportunity as it contributes more than half
Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative of the late 1990s the region’s output. The sector grew at an average
and early 2000s. As many African countries accessed 6.6 percent over the last decade as the middle class
international capital markets over the last decade, their in the region continued to expand. Conversely, the
external debt also increased, with the composition of region’s manufacturing sector, which has grown on
debt shifting toward higher priced non-concessional average 3.1 percent over the last decade, has played a
financing. The external debt burden has increased less prominent role in driving economic development.

FIGURE 5 Per capita GDP growth prospects FIGURE 6 Total government debt in Sub-
Source: “Global Economic Prospects,” World Bank Group, Saharan African countries, 2014–2016
January 2018 Source: World Bank, IMF, IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio
Research

11
Africa’s manufacturing growth has been slower than economic diversification. Productive jobs, affordable
manufacturing in the Latin America and East and housing, and efficient infrastructure will be urgently
Southeast Asia regions.3 needed for residents and newcomers alike.

In an aging world, Africa has a young and The region’s growing labor force can also
growing population, and the region will soon supercharge economic growth. In fact, together
have the fastest urbanization rate in the world. with rapid capital accumulation, solid labor supply
Between 1990 and 2016, Africa’s population grew growth has already contributed to the region’s potential
at an average annual rate of 2.9 percent, compared long-term growth, which rose to 3.3 percent in the
with the world average of 1.7 percent, in contrast
past five years, above the pre-crisis and longer-term
to the rapidly slowing population growth patterns
averages.4 Excluding South Africa, potential growth of
in other developing regions such as Asia and Latin
the region was 5 percent on average, above the average
America (Figure 8). Africa’s working age population
for developing and emerging countries (Figure 9).
will increase by 1.7 million monthly until 2030, the
highest among developing regions. Similarly, cities Africa’s productivity growth and productivity’s
in Sub-Saharan Africa are rapidly expanding. The contribution to potential growth were
urban population is expected to double over the next subdued from 2013 to 2017. This came after
25 years, which could provide excellent opportunities
Africa’s productivity growth—measured as Total
for economic growth. By generating agglomeration
Factor Productivity (TFP) growth—rose above its
economies—the benefits of close proximity—cities can
long-term average during 2003–07, supported by
enhance productivity and spur innovation and national
improvements in health and education outcomes, as
well as by a shift in the labor force from agriculture
to higher productivity sectors. 5 During the post-
Africa’s young and growing population crisis period a slowdown in productivity reflected an
can power economic growth apparent slowdown in the rate of absorption of new
technologies as well as a decline in investment.

FIGURE 7 Sub-Saharan Africa’s market is FIGURE 8 The fastest population growth has
growing after the recent drop (nominal GDP been in the Sub-Saharan Africa region
in US dollars by sector) Source: United Nations
Source: World Bank, IMF, IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio
Research

12
There is a considerable scope for boosting the examples have shown that disruptive solutions and
region’s potential growth. Under current trends, embracing innovations not currently widely used can
the long-term potential growth in Sub-Saharan help African countries skip rungs on the development
Africa is projected to remain stable (Figure 9). Yet ladder—a phenomenon also known as leapfrogging.7
potential growth can be significantly increased through
structural reforms that increase investment, improve Technology spillovers, entrepreneur-driven
health and education outcomes, and raise female labor innovation, and environmental and sustainability
force participation. The World Bank’s analysis shows concerns are disrupting the traditional ways
that, if the region (excluding South Africa) is able that technology is diffused.8 Through innovative
to replicate its best historical health, education, and adaptation, an existing technology can be leveraged
investment level improvements over the next decade, it to create a new product with the potential for rapid
could boost potential growth by around 0.7 percentage scaling. Such adaptations have generated notable
points, to 5.7 percent, on average over the next decade.6 recent examples of leapfrogging in Africa, including
Other productivity-enhancing reforms—including mobile money (for more detailed discussion see the
diversification to reduce reliance on commodities, section on financial markets), and pay-as-you-go
stronger property rights to encourage productivity- off-grid solar.9 Leapfrogging innovations in financial
enhancing investment, and greater transport services are also occurring as financial institutions
connectivity to spur competition—could safeguard compete or collaborate with non-bank financial
and bolster these gains. Robustly implementing such technology firms (fintechs) that often do not follow
policies will be critical if the region is to capitalize on traditional business models.
its demographic dividend. Africa is home to a growing number of countries where
In addition to conventional policies to improve a “race to the finish” is on between these actors to
productivity, adopting innovative practices and reach the unbanked and underbanked.10 Nevertheless,
technology can also help Africa’s productivity leapfrogging is similar to conventional productivity
growth through ‘leapfrogging.’ Several recent expansion in that it requires physical and institutional
infrastructure to function, as well as the education
systems necessary to teach skills for absorbing
technology and developing and applying innovation.

As Africa’s middle class expands,

so does consumption growth of a
wide range of goods and services.

By 2030, 100 million new people are expected to

join Africa’s middle- and high-income groups,
boosting them to over 160 million across the
region. Household spending in Africa is projected to
grow at an average rate of 5 percent, surpassing the
3.8 percent average growth among other developing
FIGURE 9 Prospects for Africa’s potential countries.11 The robustness of Africa’s consumption
growth under reform scenarios growth potential is present across all sectors (Figure
Source: “Global Economic Prospects,” World Bank Group, 10). While consumption growth in Africa is expected
January 2018 to exceed 6 percent in most sectors, spending on

13
 transportation and information and communication
technologies (ICT) is expected to grow faster than
spending on other sectors. Expenditures on food and
beverages—the largest share of total spending for
African households—should continue to grow much
slower, but will remain the most important component
of total household spending.

At the country level, Senegal, Mozambique,

Rwanda, Niger, and Ethiopia are the leaders in
terms of household consumption growth in most
sectors (Figure 11). Senegal’s household spending
is projected to grow fastest (more than 9 percent) on
transport, education, ICT, and housing, whereas water
supply, pharmaceutical products and ICT are the
fastest growing sectors in Mozambique.

FIGURE 10 Projected consumption growth in Africa’s agriculture sector holds enormous

developing countries between 2014 and 2030, potential for economic development—
by sector
and is a significant opportunity for
Source: IFC Global Macroeconomics, Markets and Portfolio Research.
Note: World Bank Household Survey Data covers 82 developing private sector investment.
countries, of which 34 are in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Côte Burkina South

Senegal Ethiopia Rwanda Mozambique Niger Tanzania Mauritania d’Ivoire Kenya Uganda Ghana Faso Guinea Cameroon Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mali Nigeria Africa

Transport 9.88 9.74 8.98 8.80 8.47 8.29 8.16 8.08 7.52 7.51 7.07 7.06 6.31 6.00 5.95 5.86 5.50 4.74 4.42 2.20

Education 9.15 10.39 8.21 7.70 9.05 8.22 7.62 6.75 6.50 6.52 5.25 7.08 5.35 5.20 5.45 5.03 4.72 6.03 4.14 1.87

ICT 9.14 10.18 7.90 8.98 8.44 7.54 8.46 7.74 7.46 7.17 5.98 6.55 5.74 6.28 7.06 5.61 3.10 6.54 4.02 1.83

Housing 9.02 7.98 7.56 8.11 7.03 6.48 7.43 7.44 7.65 6.85 6.06 6.81 6.58 5.11 5.78 4.95 2.77 6.16 4.30 1.98

Energy 8.36 4.55 4.23 5.92 7.91 6.35 7.00 6.55 5.90 5.05 5.13 6.74 4.90 3.96 6.64 5.51 2.56 5.00 3.88 1.69
Clothing &
footwear 8.10 6.32 6.02 7.65 6.73 5.94 5.28 5.91 5.87 5.93 4.80 5.51 4.65 5.04 4.77 5.09 3.76 5.05 3.52 1.41

Personal
care 7.82 6.63 6.41 8.11 6.76 7.92 8.77 6.40 6.23 5.91 5.22 6.20 4.97 5.27 6.28 4.62 4.17 5.64 3.80 1.52

Water
supply 7.28 4.77 8.29 8.14 6.80 6.31 6.30 6.03 4.45 5.41 7.17 5.81 6.00 6.31 5.85 2.56 6.45 3.84 1.88

Health (ex-
pharma) 6.69 5.91 7.17 7.09 7.31 7.05 7.98 6.23 6.96 6.31 5.36 7.64 4.36 5.24 5.26 4.61 4.81 5.51 3.42 1.70

Food &
beverages 6.27 5.61 5.65 5.71 6.05 5.24 5.26 5.67 4.87 5.21 4.47 5.01 4.02 4.44 4.48 4.50 2.18 4.55 3.39 1.35

Pharma-
ceutical 5.14 6.25 6.66 8.01 6.78 5.99 6.11 6.07 5.22 5.67 4.25 5.52 4.52 4.80 4.48 3.92 4.81 4.86 3.57 1.65
products

FIGURE 11 Consumption growth in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2014 and 2030, by sector
Source: IFC Global Macroeconomics, Markets and Portfolio Research

14
Domestic food production in Africa is lagging made more efficient use of arable land. By contrast,
despite robust demand. Regardless of the recent agricultural production in Africa has largely relied on
increase in the service sector’s share of economic area expansion despite the productivity (Figure 13).
activity, the agriculture sector still accounts for one- Yet conditions are in place to increase the productivity
third of the region’s GDP and employs large shares of of African agriculture with a growing regional market
the population in many African countries. Nevertheless, boosting demand.
African countries continue to import most of their
processed food products. Even countries with large The mixture of available arable land, potential
agriculture sectors—Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Kenya, productivity growth, and fast-growing consumer
Ethiopia, and Ghana, for example—tend to export markets provide tangible business opportunities
agricultural commodities as primary, unprocessed in Africa’s agriculture sector. Unleashing
goods with little integration into global value chains, productivity improvements requires adopting new
while importing processed food (Figure 12). With the technologies, investments in rural public goods
projected growth of food consumption, Africa’s reliance such as infrastructure to improve access to markets,
on food imports will likely intensify, raising the specter agriculture insurance, and irrigation technologies
of food insecurity and external balances. to manage climate challenges. Land-tenure reform
and strengthening land and property rights will be
There is significant upside potential for Africa’s crucial to bolstering private investment in the sector.
agriculture sector. Agriculture in Africa has expanded Accelerating access to finance for smallholder farmers
in a fundamentally different way from other regions will allow the application of more advanced farming
such as Asia and South America, where intensification methods such as increased use of fertilizers, irrigation
and mechanization of food production processes have techniques, and crop selection suited to particular
micro climates to improve yields.

Developing the agriculture sector could deliver

major gains for the region in terms of economic
diversification, poverty reduction, jobs, social
development, and food security.

Africa’s urban population is expected

to double over the next 25 years,
a demographic shift that could
generate dynamism and economic
diversification if well-managed.

Africa is experiencing rapid urbanization, a

demographic transformation that historically
has tended to enhance productivity and increase
economic integration. Urban areas in Africa
FIGURE 12 Top five net exporters and currently are home to 472 million people, and that
importers of (un)processed food goods, in population is expected to double over the next 25
USD billions (averages: 2010–2015)
years (Figure 14). Over the next two decades, the
Source: World Bank WITS Database; IFC Global Macroeconomics,
Markets and Portfolio Research
growth of Africa’s urban populations will drive new

15
demand for infrastructure, housing and other physical for the past 40 years, at around 20 percent of GDP.
structures, and for amenities. If well-managed, this Specifically, housing investment in Africa has been
urban expansion can help accelerate economic growth much lower than that of other regions. Between 2001
by enabling productive environments that attract and 2011, African low-income countries invested 4.9
international investment and increase economic percent of GDP in housing, compared with 5.5 percent
efficiency. By generating agglomeration economies, elsewhere. African middle-income countries invested
cities can enhance productivity and spur innovation 6.5 percent of GDP in housing, compared with 9
and national economic diversification. percent elsewhere.14

Yet African cities have not generated the Effective urban planning, supported by necessary
levels of economic dynamism that expanding land reforms and investment in housing and
metropolitan areas in other regions have infrastructure, is critical to meeting the demands
experienced. Today, Africa’s cities are predominantly of ongoing urbanization, and to converting cities
local. They lack regional connectivity or global reach. into economically productive environments.
This is because they have taken a different development To meet this demand, city leaders and planners must
trajectory—one that poses excessive costs to residents use foresighted planning, realistic regulation, and
and firms.12 Recent research by the World Bank on predictable enforcement.15 They should also simplify
the spatial development of African cities shows that and clarify the transfer of property rights which is a
they cannot be characterized as economically dense, cumbersome exercise today.
connected, and livable. Instead, they are crowded,
The good news is that some African countries
disconnected, and costly for households and firms.13
are taking steps to do this. Botswana regularized
A major constraint on Africa’s urban development customary land in 2008, partly because the land
has been the high cost of living and doing boards faced challenges to administering tribal land.16
business in cities. This costliness lowers expected Zambia passed a new planning bill in 2015, extending
returns for investors and entrepreneurs. As a result, planning controls across state and customary land
capital investment in Africa has remained relatively low and designating all local authorities as planning

FIGURE 13 Large disparities in labor productivity between economic sectors in Africa

Source: United Nations; International Labor Organization; IFC Global Macroeconomics, Markets and Portfolio Research

16
 both low- and middle-income countries. The number
of fixed and mobile phone lines per 1,000 people
increased from three in 1990 to 736 in 2014, while the
number of Internet users per 100 people increased from
1.3 in 2005 to 16.7 in 2015.20 Access to safe water has
also increased, from 51 percent of the population in
1990 to 77 percent in 2015. Progress was particularly
notable for low-income countries and urban areas, with
an access rate of 90 percent for the urban population.

But Africa’s infrastructure needs remain vast.

For example, with the exception of a few upper-middle
income countries in the region, little progress has been
made in per capita electricity-generating capacity over
FIGURE 14 Average urban population growth two decades. Only 35 percent of the region’s population
rates by region has access to electricity, with rural access rates less
Source: United Nations. than one-third of those in urban areas. Similarly,
transport infrastructure lags, as Sub-Saharan Africa
authorities.17 Namibia recognizes traditional leaders as is the only region in the world where road density has
part of the formal land system; they are designated by declined over the past 20 years. As a result, transport
the president and details about them are published in costs are high and continue to hinder the region’s intra-
the government’s gazette.18 and inter-regional trade. 21 Access to sanitation facilities
There has been some progress in terms of also remains low, at about 30 percent in 2015, despite
infrastructure as well, but this needs to be a doubling in access to improved sanitation facilities.
combined with improvements in the institutional The largest gains in sanitation access have been in rural
framework—the capacities of African city areas and low-income African countries.
governments for urban planning, regulation, and The potential benefits of closing the region’s
enforcement—that should shape and coordinate them. infrastructure gap—both in quantity and quality
The progress in infrastructure commits a city to a of infrastructure—are large. Catching up with
specific trajectory for decades to come.19 For example, the rest of the world’s average quantity and quality of
if new transport systems and industrial zones are not infrastructure would increase regional per capita GDP
coordinated with one another, such projects might not growth by 1.7 percentage points per year. Closing the
be supportive to urban development. gap relative to the best performers would lift growth
by 2.6 percentage points per year. Closing the gap in
electricity generating capacity yields would deliver the
Even after considerable progress over the largest potential benefit, and substantial gains would
last two decades, Africa’s infrastructure also come from extending the road network. 22
gap remains large and is in urgent need
Given the limited fiscal space for increasing public
of private investor participation.
investment, regional governments will need to
“crowd in” private investment to close the gap.23
There is enormous potential to improve the infrastructure
Africa’s progress in infrastructure development
in the region at the current levels of investment through
has varied widely across sectors and countries.
operational optimization.24 Nevertheless, public-private
Progress in telecommunications coverage in the region
partnerships (PPPs) remain essential for providing the
over the past 25 years has been substantial and rapid in
necessary infrastructure investment.

17
PPPs in Africa remain a very small market, with in Sub-Saharan Africa, and thus also an important
projects concentrated in only a few countries and limitation on employment, economic growth, and
sectors. South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda shared prosperity.
together account for 48 percent of the 335 total PPP
infrastructure projects in the region over the past 25 Financial development in Africa has progressed
years. This amounts to $36.7 billion of investment over the last decade, yet there is considerable
commitments, or 62 percent of the $59 billion in total scope for further development, especially
investment commitments in the region. In the past five compared with other regions.28 The above-
years, PPP infrastructure projects in the region have mentioned macroeconomic improvements in the SSA
mainly been concentrated in the energy sector (78 region, combined with relative political stability
percent)—mostly renewables—followed by transport and reforms in the financial sector, have supported
(22 percent), and water and sanitation (0.5 percent). growth in financial systems in many African countries.
International financial institutions play a larger role Consequently, financial systems have become relatively
in financing PPPs in Sub-Saharan Africa than in other more efficient and stable in recent years. 29 Over the
emerging market and developing economies. 25 last 15 years, African countries implemented some
112 reforms that have improved access to credit.30 As
A robust institutional and regulatory framework a result, the region’s median ratio of private sector
is critical to attracting private investment for credit to GDP (a measure of the size of financial depth)
infrastructure projects. Private infrastructure
increased from 15 percent to 20 percent between 2008
investment is highly sensitive to country risk, and the
and 2015 (Figure 15). Nevertheless, with the exception
strength of the investment climate is closely correlated
of the region’s middle-income countries, both financial
with investment levels.26 Of equal importance is the
market depth and institutional development remain
proper preparation of projects—with an emphasis
lower than in other developing regions. Closing the
on the selection, quality, and management of
gap between the current level of financial development
infrastructure projects. Private investors won’t be
of many African countries, and those in other regions
drawn to projects that are improperly chosen, prepared,
with similar structural characteristics, could increase
and developed. Africa performs below the global
growth by about 1.5 percentage points.31
average in each of the four PPP thematic coverage
areas—project preparation, procurement, unsolicited Africa’s financial landscape is dominated by the
proposals, and contract management. 27 banking sector, which is highly concentrated,
with a prominent role for foreign-owned banks.
The banking sector accounts for the biggest share of
assets in most African countries, with the exception
Financing is the key to achieving
of Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, and South Africa.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic potential. South Africa’s banking sector is Africa’s largest
(Figure 16). Moreover, banking sectors across SSA
are highly concentrated, with the top four banks
Despite the economic potential of the region, usually accounting for the majority of total banking
financing remains an important constraint sector assets within a particular country. Within the
on investment. Less than a quarter of adults in banking system, foreign-owned subsidiaries account
Sub-Saharan Africa have access to formal financial for the major share of assets across all country groups,
services. This means they lack access to the financial particularly in some fragile countries (Guinea, Guinea-
infrastructure necessary to save money securely and Bissau, Madagascar, São Tomé and Príncipe), while
to transfer it safely and efficiently, as well as access the contribution of foreign branches is minor. In
to credit and insurance. Lack of access to finance is several countries, state-owned banks’ assets are sizable
a key constraint for small and medium enterprises (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone).

18
Pan-African banks (PABs) have helped drive the M-Akiba allow mobile-based payments and bidding for
continent’s financial development, but they government bonds, respectively. There is still significant
also bring a number of challenges. These banks untapped potential in the financial services sector in
have increasingly filled the gap left by European many countries in the region, which, if fulfilled, can
and U.S. banks, which dominated Africa’s financial compensate to some extent for the infrastructure gap
landscape before the global financial crisis. Out of and other shortcomings these countries face. At the same
six pan-African banks domiciled in the region, all time, microfinance has grown rapidly, providing services
have a presence in at least 10 countries, while some to customers at the lower end of the income distribution.
are represented in more than 30 countries. The PABs It is worth noting, however, that these rapid financial
have not only facilitated financial inclusion, providing developments also pose potential financial stability risks
customers with an increased number of products and thus require appropriate regulation.33
and services (including mobile banking services), but
Capital markets in Africa are slowly developing,
have also promoted economic integration across the
with significant room for further growth.
continent and contributed to increased competition.
Since the 1990s the number of active SSA stock
However, their rapid growth also poses risks, especially
exchanges has increased from five (South Africa,
those related to the lack of adequate supervisory
Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda) to 18 today.
oversight on a consolidated basis, as well as relatively
However, only a few of these stock markets are
weak internal governance frameworks.32
active and well developed. Nevertheless, the depth
Despite its financial development gap relative of capital markets—measured by the median stock
to other regions, Africa has led the world in market capitalization as a share of GDP—has risen
innovative financial services based on mobile significantly and is now around 50 percent (Figure
telephony. The development of mobile telephone-based 17). The Johannesburg Stock Exchange dominates the
systems has helped to bring a significantly larger share region, with a capitalization of more than three times
of the population into the financial system, especially national GDP in 2016. The stock market capitalization
in East Africa and Ghana. In these countries, mobile in Nigeria—the second largest market in SSA—did not
money has become a key feature of the financial exceed 16 percent of Nigeria’s GDP in recent years.
services landscape, promoting financial inclusion and Moreover, except for Nigeria and South Africa, all
contributing to the use of financial intermediation sub-Saharan stock exchanges are characterized by a
services. For example, services such as M-Pesa and relatively low number of listed companies.

FIGURE 15 Private credit to GDP (percent) FIGURE 16 Total bank assets % of GDP
Source: FinStats The World Bank Source: IFC Global Macro, Market & Portfolio Research

19
 Developing domestic capital markets is crucial
to generating alternative sources of funding for
investment across Africa. Deep, efficient local capital
markets create access to long-term local currency finance,
mobilize funds for key sectors such as infrastructure,
reduce dependency on foreign debt, and protect
economies from sudden swings in international capital
flows. Local capital markets are essential to a thriving
private sector—and they are a key engine of growth
and jobs. Lowering the vulnerabilities associated with
local currency financing and fostering the development
of local capital markets can stimulate economic growth
in all sectors. To support governments in their efforts
to develop local debt and equity capital markets that
increase and diversify financing for the real economy
FIGURE 17 Stock market capitalization
(percent of GDP) and reduce reliance on traditional bank lending, the
Source: FinStats, The World Bank World Bank and IFC launched the Joint Capital Markets
Program (J-CAP) initiative in June 2017.

Several countries in Africa have established

domestic bond markets, with instruments World Bank Group Joint Capital Markets
denominated in local currencies. While South Program (J-CAP) Initiative
Africa’s market for local currency denominated debt
The Joint Capital Markets Program (J-CAP),
is by far the continent’s largest, Nigeria and Ghana launched by the World Bank and IFC in June
also have growing debt markets in their respective 2017, promotes the development of such
currencies. Although these markets may become markets in a coordinated way. The program
attractive to African issuers, local currency bonds leverages the collective expertise of World
present certain challenges to international investors, Bank Group institutions to accelerate capital
including illiquidity within local markets and greater markets development wherever it is most
needed, beginning with Bangladesh, Kenya,
exposure to fluctuations in local currencies.
Morocco, Peru, Vietnam, and the countries
The last few years have also witnessed an of the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (WAEMU). The program also supports
increase in Africa’s access to international
three other countries that had previously
financial markets. South Africa has historically
initiated capital markets development efforts—
dominated international bond issuances among Argentina, Indonesia, and South Africa.
African countries. It has a broad investor base
J-CAP will streamline and coordinate activities
with a large number of high-quality established
among key delivery teams to increase the
issuers. Outside of South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, World Bank Group’s capital market building
Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Zambia, and Kenya have efforts in J-CAP’s priority countries. It scales up
also successfully issued sovereign debt. According ongoing successful in-country World Bank-IFC
to World Bank estimates, sovereign debt issuance cooperation funded by the Swiss Government
increased from an average of $3.5 billion in 2010– (SECO). JCAP is also working to establish
2013 to $6.2 billion in 2014–2017, with a weighted mechanisms for sharing knowledge and lessons
by building a capital markets Community of
average coupon rate of 6.5 percent, and an average
Practice across the World Bank Group.
maturity of 20 years.

20
 in all emerging markets. Mauritius, Rwanda, Kenya,
Africa is becoming more business friendly. and Botswana stand out within the region, ranking
higher than most other regional averages. Within the
group, Rwanda and Kenya saw their scores increase
African countries have long struggled with significantly between 2017 and 2018, by 3.2 and 2.6
the perception of being unfriendly to business. percentage points respectively (Figure 18). Nonetheless,
The region has been associated with inadequate Nigeria (+3.85), Zambia (+3.95), and Senegal (+3.75)
infrastructure and business-deterring bureaucratic recorded the biggest improvements on the continent.
hurdles that prevent non-privileged and foreign However, many African economies are still plagued by
investors from participating in economic activity. Much a lack of infrastructure, conflict, fragility, and other
has happened in recent years, however, to improve the hurdles that hamper private sector development.
investment climate in Africa. Nevertheless, the region
is far from homogeneous when it comes to starting Improving the efficiency of trade infrastructure
a business, obtaining electricity, paying taxes, or is critical in the African context, as higher transit
enforcing contracts. times reduce the ability of firms to export, and
therefore depress economic activity.35 The lack of
While, on average, Africa still has the lowest Doing appropriate trade infrastructure has been recognized
Business score among the ranked regions, it has by many African nations, and the region leads
improved the most among developing countries global reform efforts in that area, with 46 percent
between 2017 and 2018.34 The region accounted of all reforms in “Trading Across Borders” being
for 83 of the 264 total business regulation reforms implemented in Africa. n

Mauritius 2.1
Rwanda 3.2
Europe & Central Asia Change in score between 2017–18 1.1
Kenya 2.6
Botswana 0.1
East Asia & Pacific 1.0
Latin America & Caribbean 0.4
Middle East & North Africa 0.9
South Asia 1.0
Sub-Saharan Africa 1.1
Central African Republic .08
South Sudan -0.3
Eritrea 0.4
Somalia -0.3
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80

FIGURE 18 Comparing Doing Business scores across Africa and other regions
Source: World Bank, Doing Business 2018 – Reforming to Create Jobs, IFC Global Macro & Market Research, www.doingbusiness.org

21
22
Case Studies
Growing populations with rising incomes across Africa are spurring demand for reliable
electricity, affordable housing, good jobs, healthier environments in which to live
and work, consumer goods, and higher quality, more resilient food resources. IFC,
often working with the World Bank and MIGA, has intervened in multiple nations and
regions to support private sector provision of such goods and services.

AZITO AND CIPREL EXPANSIONS INVIGORATE CÔTE D’IVOIRE’S

POWER SECTOR
In Côte d’Ivoire, the recent expansion of the Azito and
CIPREL power plants means more available electricity
and represents an important sign of progress that
followed a decade of conflict.

In 2011, just months after the end of civil and political

strife in the West African nation, IFC began discussions
with Ivorian authorities about expanding the size of
both plants and converting them to combined-cycle
technology, something that had been planned when the
facilities were first built in the 1990s.

IFC invested more than $250 million and mobilized

an additional $535 million for the two expansions.
Working with other members of the World Bank Group
and the International Monetary Fund, IFC was also
able to support new government policies to put Côte
d’Ivoire’s power sector on a financially sustainable path.

The Azito expansion was completed in mid-2015,

allowing the plant to generate about 50 percent more
energy. CIPREL’s expansion was completed in February
2016, increasing its output by 65 percent and making it
the largest independent power producer in the country.
Together, the two expanded plants account for about
two-thirds of Côte d’Ivoire’s power generation capacity.

Because the facilities are using combined-cycle

technology—which consumes exhaust heat from
existing gas turbines to power a new steam turbine—no
additional natural gas is needed to fuel the extra power
generation. The immediate payoff has been a drastic
reduction in blackouts and brownouts, which plagued
the nation before the expanded plants came online. n

23
CASE STUDIES

GHANA’S SANKOFA GAS PROJECT—AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT AN AILING

POWER SECTOR
Much like its neighbors, Ghana has been plagued guarantees to private lenders, including HSBC and
with an ailing power sector, with adverse effects for Société Générale. Additionally, in 2016 the World
its population of over 28 million—and for the poorest Bank approved $700 million in guarantees to pave the
Ghanaians in particular. way for signing the legal contracts that underpin this
landmark energy project.
In 2015 Ghana established the Sankofa Gas Project,
an integrated offshore oil and natural gas facility Once the $7.7 billion Sankofa project begins
designed to provide the country with reliable and production in 2018, it is expected to supply enough
affordable energy. This should be a transformational natural gas to generate up to 1,000 megawatts of
project that helps Ghana achieve energy security and electricity. It will also reduce carbon emissions in
allows it to meet commitments set in the 2015 Paris Ghana by an estimated 1.6 million metric tons
Agreement for climate mitigation. annually, as gas displaces heavy fuel oil. That is the
equivalent of removing some 320,000 cars from the
In 2016 IFC and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee
road each year.
Agency (MIGA) committed $517 million in debt
and guarantees to support the Sankofa project. That Sankofa is also expected to generate $2.3 billion in
included a $235 million loan to Vitol Ghana, one revenue for Ghana’s government and provide a stable,
of the partners developing the project. MIGA has long-term source of domestic gas that will address the
also committed up to $217 million in political risk country’s chronic gas supply constraints. n

24
 CASE STUDIES

DAKAR TOLL ROAD DRAMATICALLY REDUCES TRAFFIC CONGESTION TO

CAPITAL CITY
Senegal’s capital city Dakar has been plagued by traffic inaugurated in 2013 by SENAC, the concession
congestion for decades. The impact is far greater than company. In 2014, SENAC and Senegal signed
commuter frustration, as analysts estimate that the an agreement to extend the road to Dakar’s new
country’s poor road infrastructure has cost Senegal international airport, 40 kilometers outside the city,
about 4.6 percent of its annual gross domestic product. in the region of Thiès. IFC acted as the lead arranger
for both projects and mobilized a total debt package
In greater Dakar, traffic problems have long been a of €75 million. The World Bank played a key role in
roadblock to progress. And because the capital region’s encouraging a PPP solution and addressed the critical
economic performance reverberates throughout resettlement component.
Senegal, better urban mobility is crucial to both local
and national prosperity. The urban center’s population These projects, which were completed on time and
may double to five million by 2030, according to within budget, have had an enormous impact on the
demographic projections, and most of the expansion is local community, and have reduced commuting time
expected to take place in the outer suburbs of Dakar. from the outskirts to the city center from two hours
The area is already home to more than a quarter of the to 30 minutes. They also created a faster route from
country’s population and contributes about 60 percent the capital to Senegal’s second largest city, Thiès,
of national GDP. and to seaside resorts in Saly, an important source of
employment and income for the country.
In 2010 IFC financed a €230 million Dakar-Diamniadio
toll road project, a component of a broader World As West Africa’s first greenfield public-private
Bank effort to improve mobility between Dakar, its partnership toll road, this project is widely seen as
suburbs, and the rest of the country. The public-private a flagship project for Senegal and its neighbors, and
partnership project was awarded to French firm Eiffage, it demonstrates the potential of such partnerships
following an international tender process, under a 30- between governments, development finance
year concession contract to design, build, finance, and institutions, and the private sector to create innovative
operate the new infrastructure. The 24 km road was solutions in Africa. n

25
CASE STUDIES

MOBISOL CONNECTS A CONTINENT TO CHANGE

Jacinta Auma used to stock kerosene lamps, flashlights, For ease of installment, Mobisol has designed business
and candles to light her home in rural Kenya. Her story kits that attach easily to a solar home system. Included
is typical. in this kit is the necessary appliance (for example, a
multiple phone charger or a barber’s hair clipper), along
It changed when solar panels were installed on her
with educational materials to help launch a business.
roof. Now that her home is powered by Mobisol—a
pay-as-you-go solar energy service company delivering IFC’s recent equity investment of €5.42 million will
renewable energy solutions to off-grid communities help accelerate Mobisol’s growth in Rwanda, Tanzania,
in East Africa—she doesn’t have to travel to the next and Kenya.
village just to charge her phone, either.
Mobisol has installed over 70,000 solar home systems
Approximately 600 million people lack access to in households and businesses throughout East Africa,
electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya has some of enabling approximately 350,000 people like Auma
the highest rates of off-grid solar use in the world—30 to access clean, affordable, and reliable solar energy.
percent of households without access to the grid use It offers an alternative to fossil fuels for low-income
decentralized solar-energy solutions. Mobisol’s high- African households, reducing carbon emissions by
quality systems have been conceived to meet the deep 35,000 tons a year—equivalent to taking more than
and wide-ranging needs of this market. 7,000 passenger cars off the road. n

26
 CASE STUDIES

FRANCOPHONE AFRICA SEEKS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HOUSING

FINANCE MARKET
The West African Economic and Monetary Union— of access to affordable finance, especially housing
Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, finance, is a major impediment. Mortgage financing
Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo—faces a chronic in the region tends to be limited to short maturities
housing shortage estimated at 3.5 million units. The because regional banks have short-term liabilities that
problem will only worsen due to sustained population limit their ability to lend long-term. And local capital
growth and rapid urbanization. The region’s markets tend to be underdeveloped, small, and illiquid.
population is projected to increase by 100 million over
To overcome these obstacles, IFC, working with
the next two decades and will require an additional
the World Bank, provided equity that supported the
800,000 housing units each year.
creation of a regional housing finance company, Caisse
Despite high and rising demand for housing, the region Régionale de Refinancement Hypothécaire. IFC’s
has failed to develop a robust housing market. A lack assistance helped the company lengthen the maturity
of mortgage loans through participation in benchmark
bond issues and an equity capital infusion. IFC tapped
into the $2.5 billion IDA18 IFC-MIGA Private Sector
Window—a development finance tool created to
catalyze private sector investment in the lowest-income
countries eligible for financing from the World Bank’s
International Development Association. IFC purchased
the equivalent of $9 million in an approximately $45
million 12-year local currency bond issued by the
mortgage refinancing company. In 2018 IFC will make
an anchor investment the company’s planned 15-year,
30 billion CFA Franc benchmark bond issue—the
longest-dated bond on the regional market.

IFC made a $2 million equity investment in the

refinancing company in January 2017, and will also
provide upstream support to strengthen the region’s
housing markets. The project will provide technical
assistance to support the construction of cheaper
housing. This will be achieved by strengthening
national housing policies and supporting increased
provision of secured and serviced land.

IFC and the Bank are improving the affordability

of home ownership by reducing the cost of—and
expanding access to—long-term finance. In addition,
each housing project is estimated to create at least five
direct and indirect jobs. The region has a young and
growing population that will benefit from opportunities
for both skilled and unskilled laborers. n

27
CASE STUDIES

ZAMBIA’S METALCO RECYCLES KABWE’S TOXIC LEAD WASTE

With a long history of lead mining but no formal mine Metalco is also using the new capital to upgrade
closures and a lack of rehabilitation, the Zambian city of environmental standards, expand operations, and create
Kabwe is one of the world’s most polluted cities in terms over 250 new jobs and support the local economy.
of lead, with all the associated health problems for the
IFC will advise Metalco on energy efficiency, quality
local population. Needless to say, toxic waste has not
control, and corporate governance. In addition, the
typically been an area for private investment.
World Bank is working with the Government of
Metalco Industries, a Kabwe-based recycling and Zambia to clean up Kabwe by building infrastructure
waste management company, originally traded in non- to manage waste, and by financing clinics where
ferrous scrap metal and copper ore. Over the years, companies can test and treat workers for lead exposure.
the company has diversified to venture into other
As a result of IFC and World Bank assistance, Metalco
activities including recycling of lead and aluminum,
can dispose of its hazardous material by-products,
manufacture of solar and automobile batteries,
including lead slag and tailings from copper processing,
processing of plastic and paper, steel processing, and
at waste management sites to be financed by the World
copper wire manufacturing.
Bank project. Metalco’s workers can now test for lead
To help address lead pollution in Kabwe, IFC will in blood levels at new health clinics, and the company
invest up to $10 million in Metalco, which it will use can monitor ambient air for lead using their own
to recycle metal scrap to manufacture copper cables, testing facilities at their factory location, and share
lead-acid batteries, and aluminum sheets and utensils. results with local authorities. n

28
 CASE STUDIES

ETHIOPIAN ROSE PRODUCER AFRIFLORA IS BOOSTING EXPORTS… AND JOBS

Ten years ago, the Ethiopian village of Ziway was people. The company is increasing sales by tapping into
little more than a fuel stop on the long road to Kenya. new technologies such as an automated web platform
Yet Ethiopia has an ideal climate and labor force for to directly reach wholesalers.
the cultivation and export of cut flowers—roses in
particular—and the East African nation is located near As a result, Ziway today boasts a modern hospital—
a giant market for them in Europe. the only one in a 100-kilometer radius—a school,
and a top-notch football stadium. Thanks to foreign
Ethiopian company Afriflora was established by the
investment, tax incentives, good air links, and a
Dutch Barnhoorn family in 2005 at the invitation of
favorable climate, Ethiopia is quickly becoming a major
the Ethiopian government. Flower farmers themselves
exporter of flowers. Its floriculture sector, in which
in the Netherlands, the Barnhoorns understood that
success meant investing in more than just roses. It also 85 percent of its employees are women, earned $218
meant cultivating local labor and talent. million in export revenue in 2017.

Afriflora used an IFC investment of €90 million Afriflora has become the world’s largest grower of
to expand production by 60 percent, install water roses, and demand for its flowers remain high in
recycling systems, and create jobs for 5,000 more Europe, where 4.3 billion roses are traded each year. n

29
CASE STUDIES

MADAGASCAR SEEKS TO CREATE A

MARKET IN BEEF EXPORTS
Madagascar has long endured high levels of poverty.
Some 80 percent of the population subsists on less than
$2 a day, and most residents lack regular access to basic
services such as roads and electricity. Malnutrition and
unemployment are widespread and stubborn, especially
in rural areas.

Despite the island nation’s rich biodiversity and fertile

soil that can support the world’s best-loved vanilla as
well as large coffee, cassava, and sugarcane harvests,
Madagascar struggles to present an environment
conducive or attractive to private enterprise.

Recognizing Madagascar’s challenges—as well as its

enormous potential—IFC and other members of the
World Bank Group are helping the country leverage
its natural endowments to speed development.
In agribusiness, for example, IFC is exploring an
investment of up to $10 million to help SMTP Group,
a Madagascar-based agriculture equipment company,
build facilities that will transform poultry and beef
production on the island.

Building on its donor-funded advisory capacity to

support conflict-affected states, IFC is also supporting
a livestock project called Bovima to build a feedlot and
slaughterhouse for 8,500 cattle that will create a new
local market for livestock farmers and increase their
incomes. In parallel, the World Bank is addressing
the lack of adequate veterinary services by supporting
a public-private partnership to operate a world class
laboratory, issue animal health certificates, and create a
functioning livestock survey system.

The Bovima facility is expected to help create a

meat export industry to markets in the Middle East,
enabling the sector to grow up to $500 million over the
next ten years.

Encouraged by international partners, the Malagasy

government is making food security and resilience a
priority, to supplement the nation’s export revenue
and provide affordable food resources for the local
population. n

30
 CASE STUDIES

SOLAR ENERGY BRINGS AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY TO EGYPT

Electricity prices in Egypt have become unsustainably As part of a multifaceted World Bank Group program
high for low-income families. After the government in Egypt’s energy sector, IFC and a consortium
curbed energy subsidies, prices rose by 27 percent of other lenders pledged $653 million to finance
in 2017 over the previous year. In a bid to provide the Benban project, which will support 13 private
a less expensive energy alternative, the government companies to build and operate power plants at the
has turned to one of the country’s most abundant site. IFC’s loan is part of a broader effort to create
resources—the sun—through the construction of the a market for renewable energy in Egypt and draw
Benban solar park in Egypt’s western desert. private investment to the sector. The project will
boost Egypt’s economic landscape by providing more
The facility is named after a Nile River village nearby
and will house 32 power plants, all of which are employment opportunities, and reduce the country’s
scheduled to be operating by mid-2019 and together carbon footprint by as much as two million tons of
will be capable of producing 1,650 megawatts of greenhouse gases a year, the equivalent of taking
electricity—enough to power hundreds of thousands of 400,000 cars off the road.
homes and businesses.
Because of the country’s abundant sunshine, the
The ultimate goal, which Benban is a major part of, is to potential of solar energy in Egypt has long intrigued
generate as much as 42 percent of the nation’s electricity investors and officials. Yet for decades the high cost of
from renewable sources by 2025. Doing so will bring constructing solar plants kept the country dependent
electricity costs down and make Egypt’s energy market on fossil fuels to power its towns and villages. With the
more competitive. That will help provide this rapidly cost of solar components falling, Egyptian officials now
growing country of more than 90 million with the clean believe the nation can generate 20 percent of its power
energy it needs to drive growth and fight poverty. from renewable sources by 2022. n

31
REFERENCES
1 World Bank Group. 2017. Africa’s Pulse, No. 16, October.
2 A diaspora bond is a retail savings instrument marketed only to members of a country’s diaspora. See: Ketkar, Suhas L. and Dilip Ratha. 2010.
“Diaspora bonds: Tapping the Diaspora during difficult times.” Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy, Vol. 1, No. 2,
251–263. Nigeria’s $300 million diaspora bond had a five-year maturity with a yield of 5.625 percent.
3 IMF. 2017. “Sub-Saharan Africa Fiscal Adjustment and Economic Diversification.” Regional Economic Outlook, October 2017.

4 “Global Economic Prospects,” World Bank Group, January 2018.

5 McMillan, Margaret S. and Kenneth Harttgen. 2014. “What is driving the ‘African Growth Miracle’?” NBER Working Paper Series No.

20077, April 2014.

6 Excluding South Africa.

7 The World Bank. 2017. “Africa Leapfrogging Through Innovation: From Constraints to Investment Opportunities.”

8 See also: Broadman, Harry. 2016. “African Home-Grown Innovations Take Off.” EM Compass Note 7, September 2016, IFC; Broadman,

Harry. 2016. “How to Stimulate Innovation by Africa’s Private Sector.” EM Compass Note 8, September 2016, IFC; Aisenberg, Igal. 2017.
“Precision Farming Enables Climate-Smart Agribusiness.” EM Compass Note 46, October 2017, IFC; Mills, Anthony. 2017. “From Farm to
Fork: Private Enterprise Can Reduce Food Loss Through Climate Smart Agriculture.” EM Compass Note 47, October 2017, IFC.
9 For example: Ong, Sean. 2016. “Energy Storage – Business Solutions for Emerging Markets.” EM Compass Note 23, November 2016, IFC,

with examples in Ghana and Tanzania about how renewable energy and battery power can enable ICT access in remote areas.
10 See also: Saal, Matthew, Susan Starnes, and Thomas Rehermann. 2017. “Digital Financial Services: Challenges and Opportunities for

Emerging Markets.” EM Compass Note 42, August 2017, IFC; Alexander, Alex J., Lin Shi, and Bensam Solomon. 2017. “How Fintech is
Reaching the Poor in Africa and Asia: A Start-up Perspective.” EM Compass Note 34, March 2017, IFC.
11 The household consumption analysis is based on World Bank Household Survey Data that covers 82 developing countries, including 34

African countries.
12 World Bank Group. 2016. Africa’s Pulse, No. 13, April 2016.

13 World Bank. 2016. “Opening Doors to the World: Building African Cities that Work.” World Bank – DfID; see also Lall, Somik Vinay, J.

Vernon Henderson and Anthony J. Venables. 2017. “Africa’s Cities, Opening Doors to the World.” World Bank.
14 Dasgupta, Basab, Somik V. Lall, and Nancy Lozano-Gracia. 2014. “Urbanization and Housing Investment.” Policy Research Working Paper

No. 7110. World Bank Group, Washington DC.

15 World Bank Group. 2016. Africa’s Pulse, No. 13, April.

16 Malope, Patrick and Molefe Phirinyane. 2016. “Enhancing Property Rights through Land Tenure Regularisation in Botswana.” Paper

prepared for presentation at the 17th Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty, April 2016. World Bank, Washington, DC.
17 Wesseling, T. 2016. “New Approaches to Physical Planning in Zambia.” Royal Haskoning DHV.

18 United Nations. 2015. “Thirteenth to Fifteenth International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) -

Periodic Report by Namibia.” United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
19 Lecocq, Franck and Zmarak Shalizi. 2014. “The Economics of Targeted Mitigation in Infrastructure. Climate Policy, Vol. 14, No. 2, 187–208.

20 World Bank Group. 2017. Africa’s Pulse, No. 15, April.

21 Limão, Nuno and Anthony J. Venables. 2001. “Infrastructure, Geographical Disadvantage, Transport Costs, and Trade.” The World Bank

Economic Review, Vol. 15, No. 3, 451–479; Elbadawi, Ibrahim, Taye Mengistae and Albert Zeufack. 2006. “Market Access, Supplier Access,
and Africa’s Manufactured Exports: An Analysis of the Role of Geography and Institutions.” Policy Research Working Paper, No. 3942.
World Bank, 2006; Behar, Alberto and Phil Manners. 2010. “Distance to Growing Markets and Sub-Saharan African Exports.” African
Development Review, Vol. 22, No. 2, 2010, 316-330.
22 World Bank Group. 2017. Africa’s Pulse, No. 15, April.

23 Recently, the African Development Bank launched an initiative called Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa, to increase

infrastructure provision. The main objective of the program is to build a strategic network for the development of regional and continental
economic infrastructure over 2012–2040.
24 IMF. 2015. “Making Public Investment More Efficient.”

25 World Bank Group. 2017. Africa’s Pulse, No. 15, April.

26 Fay, Marianne, Michael Toman, Daniel Benitez, and Stefan Csordas. 2010. “Infrastructure and Sustainable Development.” 329-382. In

Fardoust, Shahrokh, Yongbeom Kim and Claudia Sepulveda (eds.), Postcrisis Growth and Development – A Development Agenda for the G20,
2011, World Bank.
27 World Bank Group. 2016. “Benchmarking Public-Private Partnerships Procurement – 2017.” Africa’s Pulse, No. 15, April, World Bank Group.

28 The financial system of a country includes its financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, and other nonbank financial institutions),

capital markets (such as those in stocks, bonds, and financial derivatives), as well as financial infrastructure.
29 IMF. 2016. “Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa - Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth.”

30 World Bank Group. 2017. “Doing Business 2018 – Reforming to Create Jobs.” World Bank Group.

31 IMF. 2016. “Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa - Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth.”

32 IMF. 2016. “Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa - Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth.”

33 IMF. 2016. “Financial Development in Sub-Saharan Africa - Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Growth.”

34 The World Bank’s Doing Business Index compares these various dimensions across 190 countries over time.

35 Freund, Caroline and Nadia Rocha. 2011. “What Constrains Africa’s Exports?”, The World Bank Economic Review, Vol. 25, No. 3, 361-386.

32
IFC in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to half of all people in extreme poverty. It also has the largest number of countries torn by
conflict and instability, complicating the fight against poverty. IFC helps address these challenges by working with the
private sector to support private investment, strengthen local capital markets, and promote sustainable development.
IFC’s strategy in Africa is to use its global expertise and financing to bridge the infrastructure gap, build a productive real
sector, and lead inclusive business approaches. Four priorities cut across these areas: climate change, investment climate,
gender, and partnerships.
These strategic priorities are deployed, in collaboration with the other World Bank Group institutions, to create new
markets while prioritizing private sector solutions across the region. Specifically, considering the market potential and
readiness of each sector in each country, this entails pursuing value chain approaches across sectors, such as enlisting
financial institutions to support farmers.
IFC is increasingly using new products and solutions to achieve development goals through the private sector. A
particular emphasis is on leveraging internal and external stakeholders, including capital market solutions and disruptive
technologies.
In the 2017 fiscal year, IFC’s long-term investments in Sub-Saharan Africa totaled about $3.5 billion, including nearly $1.2
billion mobilized from other investors. In addition, IFC supported the region through short term financing and mobilization
on behalf of MIGA. Our clients supported more than 250 000 jobs, created opportunities for more than 800,000 farmers,
and treated more than 560,000 patients.
IFC
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Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A.

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Contacts

DESMOND DODD | [email protected]

Head of Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa, Partnerships, Communications & Outreach

THOMAS REHERMANN | [email protected]

Senior Economist, Thought Leadership, Economics & Private Sector Development

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