Conversations around geopolitics, debt, and global growth predominated at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos. Yet at the Africa House event, the most consequential discussion about the continent was not about how much capital Africa needs, but why so much capital continues to miss its mark.
The reality was stark for all to assimilate. Africa does not suffer from a shortage of capital. It suffers from a shortage of appropriate financial architecture.
The financing models Africa has inherited were not designed for its development realities. Short tenors, high costs of capital, and rigid risk frameworks are poorly suited to long-term investments in housing, transport, agriculture, and trade. The result is constrained growth and a persistent gap between ambition and execution.
