Join us for a relaxed lunch and wine tasting to kickstart your networking for the event. Details to be confirmed shortly.

Registration is open, so head to the desk to grab your badge, get a coffee and get networking with your fellow delegates

Welcoming everyone to Africa 2024, the ECIC will kick off the two-day conference with a few words of welcome.

This opening presentation will take delegates through an overview of trends in Africa’s private and public external debt, and how African countries are innovating their debt sustainability via restructurings.

In the first panel discussion of Africa 2024, we hear from the African Sovereigns and development finance leaders on their plans, priorities, and what support they need from the rest of the world to bring these developments to life.

• What are the most exciting project opportunities in Africa? 
• What initiatives do governments, DFIs & MDBs have in place to support social sustainability and development? 
• How are DFI/MDB offerings complementing private sector finance, and are African sovereigns utilising this?

Grab a coffee and connect with your clients

This panel will discuss the opportunities and headwinds faced by those navigating city infrastructure for Africa, from rail, to road and lighting. 

• How are rail, road and lighting project originators tackling the funding gap between demand and supply for these projects? 

• Is there a need for a higher level of standardization in infrastructure between African countries?

• How much scope is there for part of the production of these projects to be localized?

This workshop goes back to the basics, as we hear from the ECAs themselves on what products they offer, how these products support Africa’s development, and how exporters and contractors can tap into and maximize ECA offerings.

Whilst the breakout ECA workshop goes back to the basics of ECA cover, this session provides a deep dive into ECA cover in Africa. 

• How is the economic and political landscape impacting ECA risk profile and activity? 

• Are ECAs doing anything to become less selective in terms of what countries they can cover?

• What do ECAs want in terms of ESG standards from EPCs? 

• How do ECAs incorporate social sustainability as well as environmental into project eligibility?

There is no shortage of projects in Africa, but the number of those that are actually bankable is a different story. This workshop breaks down the green and red flags of a project, from both the lender and borrower perspective. 

• What should dealmakers prioritise at the outset of project development? 

• What is the best way to engage ECAs in your project, and how do you ensure that your project meets their criteria? 

• How can developers mobilise DFI support into a project?

The extended networking lunch gives you a chance to refuel and get in some meetings

The whole world is preparing for the transition, but can countries and regions starting from different points be expected to make the same progress? Whilst some African governments are coming out with fossil fuel bans, there is still a huge gap in power supply in Africa that needs to be tackled. This session delves into the realities of the energy transition for Africa. 

• How can Africa’s rich natural resources be used to ensure energy security and a just transition? 

• What role do ECAs have in supporting the transition in Africa? Are they considering social sustainability as well as environmental? 

• Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change while being responsible for less emissions than developed countries. How can the transition be tackled without being at further cost to Africa?

In a continent that is perceived as high risk, strong governance is of the utmost importance when it comes to securing financing, as the project and export industries are increasingly under the scrutiny of compliance officers. This workshop session will gather experts and NGOs to address the market on how can Africa improve its governance to boost deals with a wider range of countries/companies

Africa is perceived as high risk, making it a challenging region for raising financing. On top of that, there is a disconnect between ECA offerings, and exporter’s understanding of how these offerings can support them. 

• What challenges are exporters and contractors facing when raising financing? 

• What can ECAs do to provide support for exporters and contractors? 

• Where do our exporters see the greatest opportunities across Africa?

Rio Tinto is to invest $6.2bn in the Simandou mine, rail and port project in the Republic of Guinea which has been delayed for decades. This workshop gathers key project stakeholders to discuss the headwinds that have been overcome by the project participants, such as licensing and government turmoil, looking at what makes this project so unique.

Your last chance to grab a coffee

Greenville has brought the first LNG trucks into Nigeria, using a regasification model to reach where oil & gas pipelines cannot. The investment in regasification infrastructure is also equipped to manage small customer needs, making cleaner solutions more accessible in Africa. In this session, we hear from Greenville and one of their customers on how this solution works, the benefits, and how it could be scaled up beyond Nigeria.

Whilst South Africa has an established commercial banking sector, it is still grappling with issues around transmission and blackouts. This session looks at the unique headwinds faced in the South part of the continent, such as: 

• How the energy sector is shaping up as it slowly becomes liberalized and deregulated

• How project structures are changing, e.g. the emerging popularity of ‘wheeling projects’ 

• What is the plan to improve transmission structure, particularly in the wake of increased renewable energy

A few words to round up day 1, before everyone heads to the cocktail reception

To round off day 1 of Africa 2024, some more networking over a glass of wine!

As part of TXF's side-brand Stages for Change, which champions diversity and inclusivity in the industry, we invite the amazing women that make up the commodities industry to a networking breakfast. The registration desk will also be open for anyone who didn't pick up their badge on day 1. 

A few words to welcome everyone back on day 2

TXF data shows that infrastructure was the top sector in Africa in 2023, and that overall, $19,247 million of debt was raised across 83 deals. This session will give a 2024 data update. 

With Africa increasing its industrial activity in sectors such as food processing and car manufacturing, there is a rising opportunity for the continent to become a key global exporter  

• What are the next steps in shifting Africa to becoming a major player in global manufacturing exports? 

• Could Africa provide manufacturing facilities at a lower cost than global competitors such as China?

• How could the free trade area further this agenda?

Grab a coffee and get networking

ECAs and DFIs are both integral institutions to African financing and development, yet there are certain roadblocks in their collaboration. This session looks at how the ECA/DFI partnership can be optimized. 

• Is the difference in affordability between ECAs and DFIs hindering their partnership? 

• How can blended finance be utilized to further ECA/DFI collaboration? 

• Which transactions that used blended finance should the market seek to emulate?

Geopolticial tensions over the past few years have put even more importance on Africa’s agri business. This session gathers agri producers, traders and financiers to talk about what issues are standing in the way of food security.

• How has agri price volatility affected Africa’s agribusiness? 

• How can agri infrastructure be improved in Africa, particularly storage, transport and refineries? 

• What role has Gulf financing had on increasing food security this year amid bail outs?

The final chance to meet with your fellow delegates, whether it's build on existing connections or making new ones

Now that multiple African countries are investing in renewables, the transmission grid needs to be strengthened. Additionally, hydro power is gaining traction but transporting the water is also an issue. 

• What is needed from the global financial market, and governments, to improve transmission infrastructure? 

• What is the blueprint for financing transition lines going forward? Are existing PPP initiatives on the continent setting the example?

• What can ECAs and DFIs do to support transmission infrastructure across Africa?