Africa faces an urgent call to overhaul its infrastructure development model and mobilize large-scale funding, as the continent grapples with an annual financing shortfall of up to $108 billion (Sh13.9 trillion), experts have warned.

With infrastructure needs estimated at $170 billion (Sh220.1 trillion) annually, current investment levels fall far below the mark, threatening Africa’s economic growth, job creation, and global competitiveness.

This growing crisis will take center stage at the Global Summit Series Africa, scheduled for August 19–21, 2025, at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda.

The high-level gathering, convened by the Project Management Institute (PMI), will bring together leading policymakers, business leaders, and development experts to forge a new path forward.

PMI’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, George Asamani, says Africa’s infrastructure efforts have long been fragmented, overly reliant on donor funding, and often misaligned with broader development goals.

“The summit is about embedding professionalism and systems thinking into how we execute projects, ensuring that every dollar delivers measurable impact,” Asamani said.

The continent’s infrastructure backlog stretches across critical sectors including transport, energy, housing, water, and digital connectivity.

While there have been notable strides such as Kenya’s renewable energy push, regional transport corridors, and smart city efforts in Rwanda and Nigeria the challenge remains securing sustainable financing and ensuring efficiency in delivery.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), closing the infrastructure gap could add up to 2 percentage points to Africa’s GDP growth annually.

But rising debt burdens and shrinking fiscal space have left many governments scrambling to explore innovative financing tools such as blended finance, infrastructure bonds, and diaspora-driven investments.

Beyond financing, the Kigali summit will shine a spotlight on youth engagement and technology integration in project delivery.

With Africa hosting the world’s youngest population, PMI seeks to champion project management as a vital skill in shaping the continent’s next generation of infrastructure leaders.