Deputy President Kithure Kindiki arrives in Dar es Salaam for the Infra for Africa Forum and the AFRICA50 General Shareholders Meeting, August 5, 2026.
African presidents, ministers, financiers and investors have converged in Dar es Salaam for the two-day Infra for Africa Forum 2026, where the focus is on finding innovative ways to finance the continent's infrastructure and accelerate economic growth.
President William Ruto is being represented at the summit by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who arrived at Julius Nyerere International Airport on Wednesday morning ahead of the opening sessions.
Convened under the patronage of Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the forum marks a decade of Africa50 and is themed "A Decade of Economic Impact: From Vision to Delivery."
It is being held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre from August 5 to 6.
The gathering brings together heads of state, senior government officials, multilateral development institutions, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, pension funds, private investors and infrastructure experts to explore ways of closing Africa's massive infrastructure financing gap.
The summit opened with remarks by Africa50 Group chief executive officer Alain Ebobissé, followed by a welcome address from African Development Bank Group president-elect and Africa50 Board chairman Dr Sidi Ould Tah.
Tanzania's Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar also addressed delegates before a high-level presidential dialogue examines how Africa can utilise its natural gas resources to expand electricity access, drive industrialisation and support lower-emissions economic growth.
The dialogue will feature energy and finance ministers from Tanzania, Senegal, Mozambique and Nigeria alongside African Continental Free Trade Area Secretary-General Wamkele Mene.
Kindiki to deliver keynote
One of the major highlights of the opening day will be a keynote address by Deputy President Kindiki before President Samia officially opens the forum, signalling Kenya's prominent role in the discussions.
The afternoon programme will shift attention to Africa's digital transformation through a panel titled "Wiring the Future: Building Africa's Digital Backbone."
The discussion will examine investment models, policy reforms and partnerships required to expand broadband connectivity, data centres, subsea cables and artificial intelligence readiness across Africa.
Among the speakers are Mozambique's Communications Minister Américo Muchanga, British International Investment CEO Leslie Maasdorp, Google Sub-Saharan Africa policy lead Charles Murito, Vitesse Africa founder Uche Orji and NALA CEO Benjamin Fernandes.
Another key discussion focuses on mobilising African capital for infrastructure development.
A closed high-level roundtable will explore asset recycling as a way of unlocking capital tied up in mature public infrastructure and redirecting it towards new development projects.
Participants include finance ministers from Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique, The Gambia, Chad, Guinea and Somalia, alongside executives from the African Development Bank, Ecobank, IFC, World Bank, Afreximbank, Standard Bank, East African Development Bank and Kenya's Centum Investment Company.
The public plenary later in the day examines how pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and domestic financial institutions can play a greater role in financing large-scale infrastructure projects across the continent.
Focus on African-led financing
The second day on Thursday will begin with a session examining how African institutions can finance more infrastructure projects using domestic capital rather than relying heavily on external funding.
Speakers include Ecobank Group CEO Jeremy Awori, ATIDI CEO Manuel Moses, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority CEO Aminu Umar-Sadiq and officials from the African Development Bank and Stanbic Bank Tanzania.
Delegates will then discuss expanding electricity transmission networks, regional power interconnections and renewable energy investments needed to support industrial growth.
Among the speakers is Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) acting managing director and CEO Kipkemoi Kibias.
Workforce and innovation
Former Tanzania president Jakaya Kikwete will deliver a keynote address during a session exploring how infrastructure investments can create jobs, improve digital skills and prepare Africa's workforce for an AI-driven economy.
The panel will bring together government leaders and private sector executives from Rwanda, Tanzania, MTN Digital Infrastructure and MeTL Group.
The forum will conclude with an Oxford-style debate on Africa's infrastructure future before Africa50 holds its closed General Shareholders Meeting.
The debate will feature senior executives from TDB Group, British International Investment, mPedigree and the ONE Campaign, allowing delegates to vote on what organisers describe as the defining question facing Africa's infrastructure agenda.
