Economy

AfDB focused on sealing deals, exploiting youth potential at TICAD9.

by Edmond
22 Aug 2025 20:11
836 views

PM Dion Ngute representing President Paul Biya at TICAD9 with others

The African Development Bank, AfDB, has participated in the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD9, which ends today.
The bank has paid special attention on how to seal many partnerships deals between African entrepreneurs and Japanese business leaders and how Japanese business gurus could maximally exploit the potential of the teeming youth population in Africa for win-win business relationships.

It is on this that the AfDB delegation on August 20, organised a high-level policy dialogue aimed at harnessing the potential of Africa and strengthening partnerships between business executives from Africa and their counterparts in the Japanese private sector.

The hierarchy of the AfDB noted during the policy dialogue that as Africa–Japan economic ties deepen, there remain significant potential for stronger, mutually beneficial partnerships.

AfDB officials noted that Japanese Multilateral Development Banks, MDBs, and Japan’s Development Finance Institutions, DFIs, can play a catalytic role by leveraging their financial tools, expertise, and networks. Officials of AfDB tailored the high-level side event to explore how MDBs and Japan’s DFIs can promote private sector-led growth in Africa. Deliberations which culminated in highlighting institutional policy actions and on ways to unlock the potential of Africa’s youth and regional demand through entrepreneurship and integration.

Emerging partnerships between Japan & Africa

The AfDB delegation to the summit also held a high-level business session with Chief Executives of Chinese companies during which discussions were centered on emerging partnerships between Japan and Africa.

Within the backdrop of understanding that Africa’s youthful population and rapid digital transformation present fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The AfDB noted that with Japanese start-ups and major firms increasingly engaging in a range of sectors in Africa—including agriculture, retail, and services—expanding beyond traditional infrastructure-focused investments is now absolutely necessary.

That is why the session highlighted successful collaborations between Japanese businesses and African partners, supported by the African Development Bank and Japan’s Development Finance Institutions.

The session also explored how the public, private, and academic sectors on both sides could work together to scale up innovation and investment across the continent.

On the whole, the AfDB noted that this year’s conference takes place at a critical time as Africa seeks to close investment gaps and build resilience to global economic and climate shocks.

The AfDB Group President, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, insisted that the bank stands as a key driver of transformation for the continent, leveraging its leadership to mobilise international support, particularly from Japan.

Adesina revealed that over the years, the AfDB’s collaboration with Japan through TICAD has evolved into a dynamic platform for development finance, knowledge exchange, and private sector engagement.

Through programmes like the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance, EPSA initiative, Japan’s support to the AfDB has resulted in billions in co-financing for African businesses and infrastructure as well as important support to capital replenishment.

Adesina said this is in addition to strategic partnerships with Japanese agencies such as Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA; Japan Bank for International Cooperation, JBIC; Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, NEXI; continue to advance the Bank’s High 5 development goals, assuring that these partnerships have supported transformative projects in energy, transport, health, and climate resilience across the African continent.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3541 of Friday August 22, 2025