The International Finance Corporation announced plans on 3 November 2025 to scale up local-currency lending and direct investment across Africa, aiming to help businesses achieve the size needed to draw global institutional investors.
Speaking at the Africa Financial Summit in Casablanca, IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop underscored that major funds, such as BlackRock, typically require projects exceeding one billion dollars to commit capital.
With traditional aid flows tightening and concessional financing under pressure, Diop highlighted local-currency financing as a strategic tool to limit exposure to exchange-rate volatility and support sustainable investment growth on the continent.
Africa attracted more than 15 billion dollars in IFC commitments last year, largely through debt and trade finance, with local-currency financing already accounting for about 30 percent of the portfolio. Diop noted that the IFC is working with commercial banks to swap dollar resources for domestic-currency credit lines, reinforcing regional financial resilience. He added that deeper market integration, including interoperable stock exchanges and enhanced savings mobilisation, will be essential to secure long-term private capital and unlock Africa’s investment potential.