How will Africa’s climate and development strategies, be turned into bankable, investable projects?
According to the Africa Climate Finance Tracking Report 2025, current climate finance flows meet around 25% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s annual climate financing needs.
Emmanuelle Nichols, Group Director of the Green Economy at the Vuka Group, said the Africa Green Economy Summit (AGES) is expected to provide a platform to discuss turning ambitions into actionable projects.
Global policymakers, investors, project developers, and development partners will be in attendance.
Nicholls also said Africa continues to receive a disproportionately small share of global climate finance, even as climate-related shocks, energy constraints, and water stress intensifies across the continent.
At the same time, concessional flows are decreasing against rising competition for private capital.
“Global climate discussions often focus on commitments and coordination, but delivery ultimately depends on where capital decisions are made” said Nicholls
AGES 2026 is expected to delve extensively into where capital is flowing, where it is stalling, and which projects are realistically positioned to reach financial close.
The programme promises to examine the practical conditions required for delivery, including risk allocation, regulatory certainty, and investment readiness across key green and blue economy sectors.
Teboho Makhabane, Head of ESG and Impact at Sanlam Investments, said “the real constraint is not a lack of projects, but a lack of financing structures that can meet projects where they are. Platforms like AGES matter because they bring the right partners together to design innovative finance solutions that can unlock viable projects, deliver real economic impact, and generate sustainable returns.”
The summit will also convene the AU–Green Recovery Action Plan (AU-GRAP) Grand Finale Roundtable, marking the conclusion of Phase I of the programme. The session will reflect on the outcomes of five Green Investment Roundtables and set the direction for Phase II implementation, positioning AU-GRAP as a continental mechanism for mobilising climate and nature finance.
Details of the Summit: 24–27 February 2026, Cape Town.
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Picture of a panel discussion at AGES 2025.