The African Development Bank (AfDB) has cautioned that Africa’s economic progress will remain stunted unless governments across the continent prioritize the proper design and execution of development projects.
Speaking at the PMI Global Summit Series Africa in Kigali, Rwanda, AfDB executives and nearly 1,000 global delegates stressed that the continent’s growth potential can only be unlocked through well-planned, bankable projects backed by professional project management and strategic partnerships.
Former AfDB President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, noted that Africa is becoming central to the global economy, with one in four people worldwide projected to be African in the coming decades.
The continent also boasts 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, vast deposits of minerals critical to the energy transition, and 13 of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Despite these advantages, Adesina said poor project execution continues to undermine development efforts.
“Projects must not just exist on paper; they must change lives. As one Kenyan beneficiary told me, ‘We once were in darkness. Now we have light.’ That is the true measure of success,” he said.
He also highlighted the impact of AfDB’s High 5 priorities—Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life—programmes that have already touched over 565 million lives across the continent.
According to Armand Nzeyimana, Director of the AfDB’s Development Impact and Results Department, Africa suffers from a shortage of bankable projects. He explained that a bankable project must be:
Technically feasible with proven designs.
Financially viable with a sustainable revenue model.
Supported by robust risk management strategies that consider political, currency, and market risks.
Without these elements, Nzeyimana warned, projects are unlikely to attract the financing needed to move from planning to execution.
He further revealed that poorly prepared projects often face delays of up to 50%, eroding developmental impact.
“The cost of delay is not just financial—it is developmental,” he said.
“Every missed deadline slows progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and leaves millions without essential services.
Today, 600 million Africans remain without electricity, and that will not change without well-prepared, bankable projects.”
The summit spotlighted Rwanda as an example of effective project execution.
Kigali’s rapid transformation—from infrastructure upgrades to its positioning as a hub for tourism, innovation, and sports—was praised as evidence of what disciplined planning can achieve.
“Kigali is changing by the day,” Adesina remarked.
“It shows what is possible when vision is matched with planning and delivery.”
Delegates emphasized that project management must be recognized as a strategic enabler of transformation in Africa.
Embedding global best practices, certifications, and methodologies into African projects, they argued, will enhance delivery capacity and reduce the rate of abandoned or underperforming initiatives.
Adesina also called for a stronger partnership between AfDB and the Project Management Institute (PMI) to standardize and improve project delivery across the continent.
“We can create learning partnerships that blend PMI’s global methodologies with the Bank’s cross-border expertise while developing the next generation of African project professionals,” he proposed.
Analysts believe AfDB’s warning is timely, as several African nations continue to face challenges related to infrastructure financing, project abandonment, and weak governance.
According to economic experts, strengthening project execution is vital to attracting foreign investment and accelerating industrialization.
For instance, inadequate project preparation has been a major barrier to closing Africa’s $108 billion annual infrastructure financing gap, according to World Bank data.
With rising youth unemployment and pressure on governments to deliver essential services, stakeholders argue that adopting efficient project execution strategies will determine the pace of Africa’s long-term growth.
The AfDB’s call serves as a reminder that Africa’s future prosperity lies not just in its abundant resources, but in its ability to deliver projects that work.
Without a shift toward bankable projects and professional execution, experts warn that the continent risks missing out on the demographic and resource advantages that could make it the next engine of global growth.
As the Kigali summit concluded, one message resonated clearly: Africa’s economic transformation is not about ideas on paper, but about projects that are executed with discipline, accountability, and impact.
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