The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) have signed a Joint Project Preparation Facility (JPPF) framework agreement that could provide up to $20 million to prepare infrastructure and industrial projects across Southern Africa.
Under the agreement, each institution can contribute up to $10 million toward project preparation, helping projects move from the concept stage to a point where they can attract investment and financing.
The facility will focus initially on South Africa and the wider Southern African region, with potential expansion to other African markets where both institutions have strategic interests.
Rather than directly financing construction, the facility is designed to address some of the challenges that prevent infrastructure projects from becoming bankable. This includes supporting technical, financial and legal work required to develop projects to investment-ready stages.
Priority areas include power and energy, energy transition, transport and logistics, information and communication technology, and strategic minerals beneficiation. The projects are expected to support industrial development, trade and regional integration.
The partnership comes after South Africa joined Afreximbank in February 2026 as its 54th member state. Afreximbank also announced an $8 billion Country Programme for South Africa around the same period.
For projects developed through the facility, potential funding could subsequently come from Afreximbank, DBSA, development finance institutions, commercial lenders or private investors, subject to separate assessments and approvals.
The initiative also fits into a broader infrastructure-financing challenge across Africa. DBSA notes that inadequate project preparation can prevent projects from reaching bankable stages, creating a gap between identifying infrastructure needs and securing the financing required for implementation.
By focusing on the preparation stage, Afreximbank and DBSA are seeking to build a stronger pipeline of investment-ready projects capable of attracting the larger pools of capital needed for infrastructure and industrial development across the region.
