IFC Press Roundtable: Channeling Africa’s Capital for a Sustainable Future
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) hosted a press roundtable with senior leadership to discuss how Africa’s financial sector can mobilize domestic capital for sustainable development. The session, led by IFC’s Vice President for Africa, Ethiopis Tafara, highlighted innovative financial solutions driving inclusive growth across the continent.
The roundtable comes ahead of the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS), co-hosted by IFC and Jeune Afrique Media Groupe, taking place November 3–4 in Casablanca, Morocco. The summit will explore in depth how Africa’s financial sector can accelerate sustainable development.
Ethiopis Tafara’s Leadership
Appointed in May 2025, Ethiopis Tafara leads IFC’s $17 billion Africa portfolio and a team of nearly 800 staff from IFC’s Nairobi hub. With decades of senior development experience, Tafara is guiding IFC’s efforts to expand private sector opportunities and create jobs across Africa.
Under his leadership, IFC is advancing its 2030 vision by:
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Expanding access to finance for MSMEs
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Accelerating renewable energy investments
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Scaling digital infrastructure for microbusinesses
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Strengthening agribusiness and food security
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Supporting sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience in fragile and conflict-affected regions
These priorities aim to build investable asset classes, deepen regional integration in manufacturing and services, and reinforce IFC’s role as a trusted partner in Africa’s transformation.
“Across Africa, our priority is to unlock private capital at a scale that can truly transform economies. The need is urgent — millions of young people enter the workforce every year, and we must create more jobs faster than ever before. That means going beyond what development institutions can finance alone and creating the right conditions for investors to back ventures that drive inclusive growth,” said Tafara. “By working with governments, the private sector, and partners, we can channel Africa’s own capital into high-impact sectors — from infrastructure and energy to agribusiness, tourism, and manufacturing — where investments ripple through local economies, creating jobs and building a more resilient future.”
IFC in Kenya
As of August 31, 2025, IFC’s investment portfolio in Kenya stood at $1.3 billion. These investments are helping to expand energy access, improve infrastructure, boost manufacturing, grow agribusiness, deepen financial services, and enhance digital connectivity.
IFC is also delivering $65 million in advisory programs to attract private investment in agribusiness, affordable housing, manufacturing, and small businesses. Kenya is a priority country under the World Bank Group’s AgriConnect initiative, which helps farmers access new markets, grow their incomes, and strengthen food systems.
Through the M300 initiative, IFC is also partnering with Kenya to accelerate its energy access goals, including achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030.
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