The Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris will connect these structures with the developers, financiers and policymakers shaping Africa’s next phase of energy development. The Forum brings together dealmakers from Africa, Europe and globally, allowing blended-finance managers, guarantee providers, offtakers and insurers to engage directly with the continent’s most active project sponsors. By centering discussions around live opportunities, IAE 2026 turns financial mechanisms into practical, deal-ready pathways.

Blended Finance Vehicles

Blended finance continues to play a major role in reducing risk and attracting large-scale investment into African infrastructure. A recent example is Scatec’s 1.1 GW solar and 200 MWh storage project in Egypt, backed in June by nearly $480 million from British International Investment, the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The deal showed how concessional funding can bring commercial lenders into utility-scale projects that might otherwise stall. At IAE 2026, fund managers will demonstrate how blended structures are helping move early-stage African projects – particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and industrial energy supply – from concept to bankability by covering viability gaps, strengthening credit profiles and lowering cost of capital.

Offtake Structures & Currency Risk Mitigation

Reliable offtake and stable payment arrangements remain critical for bankable energy investments in Africa. Investors prioritize predictable revenue streams, whether through power purchase agreements (PPAs) or fuel-supply contracts. Platforms like Africa GreenCo, now operating in Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, are setting strong precedents by standardizing PPAs, improving payment reliability and aggregating IPPs under a single, creditworthy intermediary. Backed by CDC Group and African Infrastructure Investment Managers, the platform gives producers greater security and reduces counterparty risk.

Currency volatility also poses a significant risk for investors. Nigeria’s 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery highlights the challenges of aligning payments and contracts in local currency. While regulations allow crude purchases in naira, suppliers often prefer dollar-denominated payments, creating cash-flow uncertainty and supply risks. The example illustrates why clear currency frameworks – through local-currency financing or FX-aligned contracts – are essential for ensuring predictable project returns and attracting private investment.

Guarantee Mechanisms

Guarantees represent one of the most effective tools for lowering risk and accelerating energy investment across Africa. They help strengthen off-taker confidence, improve bankability and enable private participation in projects that would otherwise struggle to reach financial close. South Africa is currently implementing one of the continent’s most ambitious reforms: a $500 million credit-guarantee vehicle designed to support private-sector transmission investments. This is complemented by the country’s Independent Transmission Projects program, supported by a state-backed facility expected to mobilize R390 billion. Guarantees under the program are scheduled to come online by March 2026, paving the way for private participation in grid expansion. At IAE 2026, investors will assess how similar guarantee structures could stabilize financing, reduce project risk and unlock private capital for a wide range of energy infrastructure – not only transmission.

For 2026, these financial structures offer a practical blueprint for reducing risk, lowering capital costs and supporting faster project execution across the continent. But they rely on real projects, credible sponsors and active financing partners. The IAE Forum creates this intersection – with African governments, developers, DFIs, commercial banks and insurers set to participate, the Forum provides a space where risk-mitigation tools translate directly into pipeline advancement and dealmaking.

IAE 2026 is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week. Scheduled for April 22–23, 2026, in Paris, the event will provide delegates with two days of in-depth engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, visit www.invest-africa-energy.com. To sponsor or register as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com