Chinese and African officials and experts have called for intensified collaboration in infrastructure development, urging greater private sector participation to help close Africa’s widening infrastructure deficit and support long-term economic growth.
The call was made on the sidelines of the inaugural China-Africa Entrepreneurs Summit held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, where policymakers, financiers and business leaders gathered to explore strategies for accelerating infrastructure delivery across the continent.
Participants stressed that improved coordination between African development frameworks and China-led initiatives could unlock new investment flows and enhance project implementation.
Wang Ligui, counsellor at the Chinese Mission to the African Union, highlighted the need to align the African Union’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) with China’s Belt and Road Initiative to maximise impact.
“China and Africa need to make use of all cooperation platforms, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, to support infrastructure development,” Wang said, adding that improving regulatory frameworks and investment protections would be key to attracting and retaining investors.
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He urged African governments to strengthen business environments through policy incentives and safeguards that encourage long-term capital commitments from foreign and domestic firms.
African Union officials reiterated that infrastructure remains central to the continent’s development agenda. Nelisiwe Siphelele Mathabela of the AU Commission said cooperation with China has been a cornerstone of progress in transport, energy and industrial infrastructure.
“China has remained a leading infrastructure partner in Africa,” she said, noting that many major road, rail and power projects have been financed through mechanisms linked to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Chinese financial institutions.
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Experts at the forum pointed out that Africa faces an annual infrastructure financing gap estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, constraining industrialisation, trade integration and regional connectivity.
Ban Yongzhi, chief representative of the Southeast Africa Office of the Export-Import Bank of China, called for more integrated planning and sustainable financing models to address the scale and complexity of infrastructure projects.
“Infrastructure projects are characterised by large investments, long cycles and broad social impact,” Ban said. “We must take a holistic and coordinated approach when planning strategically significant projects.”
He emphasised the importance of balancing economic returns with social benefits, including job creation and improved access to essential services, while ensuring projects are financially viable over the long term.
Participants also highlighted the growing role of the private sector in infrastructure development, particularly in areas such as renewable energy, logistics and digital connectivity. Public-private partnerships were identified as a key mechanism for mobilising capital and improving efficiency.
The discussions underscored the need for stronger project preparation, clearer regulatory frameworks and risk mitigation tools to attract private investment at scale.
Analysts note that while China has played a significant role in financing African infrastructure over the past two decades, evolving economic conditions and debt sustainability concerns are prompting a shift toward more diversified funding models and increased private sector involvement.
The summit concluded with calls for practical steps to translate strategic alignment into bankable projects, as both sides seek to deepen economic ties and support Africa’s broader development goals through enhanced infrastructure connectivity.
