Infrastructure financing in Central Africa will be at the forefront of discussions at the second International Financial Forum, scheduled for April 23–24 in Yaoundé, organizers said Wednesday.
The event, hosted by brokerage firms Contracturer Capital S.A., Horus Investment Capital, and Akoa Mballa & Co., aims to bolster financial engineering capabilities to support major infrastructure projects across the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Cemac), which comprises six member states including Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and the Central African Republic.
Under the theme “Regional Financial Market and Structured Finance Engineering for Infrastructure Projects in Cemac,” the forum seeks to strengthen the alignment of regional capital markets with long-term financing needs in transport, energy, water, telecommunications, and other public infrastructure projects.
“Despite the presence of both institutional and non-institutional investors, the regional financial market remains underutilized for long-term project financing,” said a representative of one of the Cameroonian advisory firms. “Our objective is to mobilize local liquidity and channel it toward infrastructure, reducing overreliance on external funding.”
Organizers highlighted the potential of green bonds, participatory Treasury bills, and securitized public-private partnership (PPP) projects as key tools to attract private capital. Discussions will also focus on financial inclusion and mobilizing informal savings, including through digital platforms such as Mobile Money and Orange Money, as well as digital investment vehicles targeting the Central African diaspora.
The forum aims to foster the development of structured finance expertise through mechanisms such as regional project pooling, the creation of a regional structuring center, and strengthened partnerships with international financial institutions. Key partners include the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and Proparco, the private-sector arm of the French Development Agency.
Financial experts said Central Africa faces unique challenges in infrastructure financing. “Project pipelines exist, but financing structures and risk mitigation tools are still limited,” said an economist based in Yaoundé. “The forum represents a critical opportunity to bridge that gap, provide capacity-building, and craft practical recommendations for regional stakeholders.”
Organizers stressed that the forum will not only offer technical discussions but also produce concrete and operational recommendations to ensure sustainable financing solutions. The event is expected to attract senior policymakers, regulators, financiers, and economic stakeholders from across the sub-region.
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The forum’s emphasis on structured finance reflects a broader trend in African infrastructure development, where governments and private investors increasingly rely on sophisticated financing instruments to reduce dependency on concessional loans and external aid. By creating a regional approach, Cemac countries hope to pool resources, spread risk, and tap into the substantial local liquidity that remains largely underutilized.
In addition, the forum will examine how digital finance can unlock capital from informal savings networks, which play a significant role in the region’s economies. Organizers believe that integrating mobile-based investment solutions can enhance financial inclusion while channeling capital toward critical public projects.
“Cemac countries have the potential to create an internal financing ecosystem that can sustain large-scale infrastructure projects without solely relying on foreign investors,” said one of the forum coordinators. “Structured finance, green instruments, and digital platforms are central to achieving that goal.”
The Yaoundé forum follows last year’s inaugural edition, which focused on cross-border financial integration and capital market development. Organizers hope this second edition will translate discussions into actionable strategies that can be implemented across Cemac member states, promoting economic growth and regional development.
By connecting local liquidity with infrastructure needs, stakeholders aim to lay the groundwork for long-term, self-sustaining financing solutions that could transform the Central African financial landscape.
