Infrastructure development, such as roads, railways, ports and energy facilities are critical to supporting mining and mining related industries in Africa. The role of development financial institutions in providing the funding and infrastructure support is critical successful development is an imperative, the AFC told delegates at the African Mining Week 2025 conference.

During a technical workshop sponsored by the AFC, Franklin Edochie, Deputy Director & Head of Metals & Mining, said the institution has disbursed US$14 billion to projects across 36 countries through loans, equity investments and infrastructure support. These infrastructure investments have contributed over US$50 billion to Africa’s GDP and created seven million jobs across critical industries, including mining, demonstrating the transformative socio-economic impact of infrastructure-led mineral development.

Edochie noted it is important that development finance institutions are involved in financing Africa’s mining sector, as mining is the precursor to establishing downstream beneficiation sectors, which supports GDP growth and economic activity locally and drives industrialization across the continent.

He highlighted AFC's strategic investments in mining projects across Africa in the critical and precious metals sectors. This includes a US$150 million senior loan for the Phase 3 expansion at Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as a US330 million senior debt financing from AFC and African Export-Import Bank for FG Gold, facilitating the start of construction for the Baomahun Gold Project in Sierra Leone, which is expected to pour first gold by 2026.

AFC is also continuing with the ongoing investment in the Lobito Corridor – a rail corridor connecting key mining regions in the DRC and Zambia to the Atlantic Ocean via the port of Lobito in Angola.