Green economy projects across Africa are seeking an estimated $3.09 billion in funding ahead of the 2026 Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES), scheduled to take place in Cape Town, South Africa.
According to the organisers, the investment pipeline spans more than 25 countries and includes early-stage small and medium enterprises, as well as expansion and large-scale infrastructure opportunities. Key sectors represented include renewable energy, waste management, circular economy initiatives, sustainable agriculture, the blue economy and nature-based solutions.
AGES aims to fast-track investment deals through targeted pitch sessions, investor briefings and curated one-on-one matchmaking between project founders and development finance institutions, commercial banks, venture capital funds and specialised partners.
Proposed financing models are expected to feature catalytic capital, blended finance, concessional funding and structured risk-mitigation mechanisms designed to unlock broader deployment of climate solutions.
Elodie Ashdown, Investment Project Lead at VUKA Group, said the summit offers investors access to carefully selected deal flow capable of delivering both impact and returns. She highlighted opportunities ranging from decentralised hydrogen production to circular industrial solutions and resilient food systems, noting that blended capital is critical to scaling validated pilot projects into regional industries.
Amanda Ganca, Head of Investment at WESGRO, said Africa’s green ecosystems are maturing, with growing investor interest translating into manufacturing prospects and skilled job creation in the Western Cape and beyond.
Institutional and strategic investors are being urged to move from pledges to actual capital deployment, with opportunities matched to different project stages — from pilot funding to commercial debt and equity.
The summit is led by the African Union, with Sanlam Investments serving as Title Sponsor and Standard Bank as Gold Sponsor. Silver sponsors include FSD Africa, Gautrain and UNOPS.
The event is hosted in partnership with the City of Cape Town and supported by government institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
