Governors of the African Development Bank Group, together with technical and financial partners, private sector representatives, philanthropic foundations and investors, have expressed support for the Bank Group’s platform solutions approach to accelerating transformation in Africa’s aviation and health sectors.
The approach was presented on the sidelines of the Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings, held in Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo on 28 May. The meeting was held under the theme “Platform Solutions for Africa’s Transformation: De-risking Aviation and Health Systems through Innovative Financing.”
Two initiatives were presented to stakeholders: the Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme (IATP) and the African Medical Equipment and Medicines Facility (AMEF). Both are designed to mobilise greater capital, reduce risk and address major continental challenges.
For aviation, the IATP is intended to support fleet modernisation, infrastructure upgrades, logistics improvements and the integration of Africa’s air transport market. The Bank Group aims to mobilise US$7 billion over the next five years to unlock the potential of African aviation, working with African governments, the African Union, development partners, the private sector, banks and investors, aircraft manufacturers, leasing companies, airlines and other stakeholders.
The platform approach reflects a shift from project-by-project financing towards structures that can bring partners together, attract capital and deliver solutions at a continental scale. The Bank presented the IATP and AMEF as two applications of the same financial architecture, with one focused on air connectivity, logistics chains and regional integration, and the other on access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment.
“We need high-quality medicines that meet international standards. Africa also needs airlines capable of connecting the entire continent, strengthening regional integration, and supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” said Dr Sidi Ould Tah, President of the Bank Group, as he opened the discussions.
The aviation case presented by the Bank Group underlined the scale of the challenge. Mike Salawou, Director of the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department, noted that only 19% of flights in Africa are operated by African regional or national airlines, while economic losses linked to deficiencies in air transport are estimated at between US$50 billion and US$100 billion annually.
The health platform, AMEF, is intended to support more stable and better-coordinated procurement mechanisms to improve sustainable access to quality health products. According to Ousmane Fall, Director of the Private Sector Department at the African Development Bank, Africa manufactures only 1% of the medicines it needs and approximately 0.5% of its vaccines. Only 40% of essential medicines are available on time to populations, while access delays can range from three to nine months.
Participants called for both platforms to move from design to implementation, supported by strong national ownership, aligned partners and regular monitoring of results. Several speakers emphasised that success would depend on maintaining a broad coalition of governments, multilateral development banks, institutional investors, philanthropic foundations and private sector actors around shared and measurable objectives.
“Risk mitigation is the greatest challenge,” said Abdourahmane Sarr, Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation. “This is where the African Development Bank Group can play a catalytic role by leveraging its AAA credit rating.”
Dr Natu El Maamry Mwamba, Alternate Governor for Tanzania and Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, welcomed the proposed financing model, recalling that a Bank guarantee had enabled Tanzania to mobilise, within a few months, half of the US$1.2 billion required for its standard gauge railway project.
“Cameroon supports these two initiatives, which will address critical needs for our populations and strengthen the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” said Alamine Ousmane Mey, Cameroon’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development.
Japan announced a US$10 million contribution to the Risk-Sharing Facility of the Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme. The funding is intended to help reduce financing risks associated with fleet acquisition by African airlines. According to Salawou, the contribution is expected to support the platform’s initial implementation phase and strengthen its ability to mobilise additional financing.
“This is about building a continental connectivity platform capable of linking markets, strengthening regional value chains, and supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA. In a context marked by growing health, climate, and geopolitical risks, connectivity is also becoming a resilience issue. Aeroplanes transport passengers, as well as medicines, vaccines, strategic equipment, and create economic opportunities. By mobilising more capital, reducing risks, and strengthening partnerships, the IATP helps transform aviation into a driver of integration, competitiveness, and prosperity for Africa,” said Salawou.
Ismael Nabé, Guinea’s Minister and Governor of the Bank, highlighted the need to pool efforts to avoid fragmentation that limits the emergence of major African airlines. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, called for the further development of leasing solutions in the aviation sector and announced the signing of the first National Compact under the IATP with the Bank.
Beyond aviation and health, discussions pointed to platform solutions as a wider instrument for Africa’s transformation.
“People need rapid access to medicines, vaccines, essential goods, and economic opportunities. This requires efficient logistics chains, effective connectivity infrastructure, and financing mechanisms capable of operating at the scale of the continent’s challenges. Platform solutions represent an important evolution in the way we approach development: they make it possible to transform African priorities into bankable, deployable, and measurable programmes while strengthening regional integration, resilience, and Africa’s ability to shape its own future,” said Dr Ould Tah.
The Bank Group said the approach is aligned with its role as a platform for mobilising capital for Africa and contributing to the emergence of a New African Financial Architecture for Development, supporting more integrated, resilient and inclusive growth.
