When African countries invest in the African Development Fund, they are making a strategic decision. This is the foundation of a new financial compact for the continent." -Dr Sidi Ould Tah
Twenty-four African countries pledged approximately $180 million to the African Development Fund, the concessional financing window of the African Development Bank Group for low-income countries, at the conclusion of its seventeenth replenishment (ADF-17) in London in December 2025.
Twenty of these countries were first time contributors, up from five African contributors during the previous replenishment (ADF-16). ADF-17 mobilised a record $11 billion from 44 partners, representing a 23% increase over the previous round and the Fund's largest resource mobilisation in its 53-year history. The contribution reflects a growing commitment across the continent to support the African Development Fund and to reinforce collective ownership of Africa's development priorities.
During the replenishment meeting, African Development Bank Group President Dr Sidi Ould Tah said: "The level of African participation and the volume of these contributions are without precedent. They send a clear signal: Africa is not only a beneficiary of the ADF; it is a co-investor in its own future."
Dr Ould Tah has stressed that Africa's commitment to address its development challenges with its own resources can be the foundation of a new financial compact for the continent.
For Seedy Keita, Minister of Economy and Finance of The Gambia, his country contributed to ADF-17 because "we understand the transformative role the African Development Fund plays in advancing our national development priorities. As we work to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030 and strengthen economic resilience, it is important that African countries also invest in the institutions that support our progress. Our contribution reflects both solidarity and confidence in the Fund's ability to deliver results."
All five sub-regions of Africa contributed to ADF-17, including low-income, fragile, and middle-income economies. The 24 participating countries are Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, The Gambia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Their participation underscores a shared recognition that sustained support to the African Development Fund strengthens the continent's capacity to finance investments in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and essential services across eligible countries.
Aboubakar Nacanabo, Minister of Economy and Finance and the Bank Group's Governor for Burkina Faso said: "Burkina Faso's contribution to ADF-17 reflects our conviction that Africa must take control of its destiny and actively participate in financing its own transformation. Building on the successes achieved thanks to the African Development Bank's investments in our essential infrastructure, we are now strengthening this mutual commitment to a partnership focused on innovation and the structural transformation of our economies. By contributing to the African Development Fund, we are affirming our desire to build a balanced partnership focused on concrete results that serve our populations."
African members' contributions strengthen ADF's financial capacity
The contributions of African countries reinforce the Fund's financial foundation. They strengthen its capital base and support the implementation of the proposed Market Borrowing Option endorsed under ADF-17. This option will enable the Fund to access capital markets for the first time.
African contributions complement new co-financing commitments, including up to $800 million from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and as much as $2 billion from the OPEC Fund for International Development. While these two partnerships do not entail direct contributions to the African Development Fund, they expand the pool of concessional and blended financing resources available to Fund-eligible countries to advance their development priorities.
Through African Development Fund-supported projects, resources are financing solar power generation in the Sahel, transport corridors linking landlocked countries to regional markets, agricultural value chain development, and water and sanitation systems serving millions of people.
The participation of 24 African contributors to ADF-17 demonstrates strengthened regional ownership of the continent's concessional financing platform.
This article is the first in a series highlighting the role of African countries in supporting ADF-17 and advancing Africa-led development solutions. Follow the series using the hashtag #ADFDelivers.
Quotes from Governors
- Burkina Faso
Aboubakar Nacanabo, Minister of Economy and Finance
"Burkina Faso's contribution to ADF-17 reflects our conviction that Africa must take control of its destiny and actively participate in financing its own transformation. Building on the successes achieved thanks to the African Development Bank's investments in our essential infrastructure, we are now strengthening this mutual commitment to a partnership focused on innovation and the structural transformation of our economies. By contributing to the African Development Fund, we are affirming our desire to build a balanced partnership focused on concrete results that serve our populations."
- Liberia
Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Finance and Development Planning
"Liberia contributed to ADF-17 because we have seen the African Development Fund's impact firsthand. As Liberia advances economic diversification, addresses infrastructure gaps, and strengthens institutions, the Fund remains a vital partner. Under ADF-17, we look forward to deepening our collaboration to accelerate inclusive growth and deliver lasting results for the Liberian people."
- The Gambia
Seedy Keita, Minister of Economy and Finance
"The Gambia contributed to ADF-17 because we understand the transformative role the African Development Fund plays in advancing our national development priorities. As we work to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030 and strengthen economic resilience, it is important that African countries also invest in the institutions that support our progress. Our contribution reflects both solidarity and confidence in the Fund's ability to deliver results."
- Sudan
Gebreil Ibrahim Mohamed Fediel, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning
Sudan's participation in the 17th Replenishment of the African Development Fund underscores our steadfast commitment to African solidarity and collective self-reliance as a primary mechanism for financing sustainable development. Over the past decade, the Fund's financing has supported the implementation of numerous capacity-building and infrastructure projects across the water, health, agriculture, and social-services sectors, strengthening institutional resilience and the delivery of essential services particularly in fragile contexts and demonstrating the effectiveness of joint African investment in achieving sustainable development outcomes. We look forward to deepening our strategic partnership with the Fund to accelerate recovery, rebuild infrastructure, and achieve inclusive and sustainable growth, with a focus on digital transformation and clean energy.
« La contribution du Burkina Faso au FAD-17 traduit notre conviction que l'Afrique doit prendre en main son destin et participer activement au financement de sa propre transformation. Fort des succès obtenus grâce aux investissements de la Banque dans nos infrastructures essentielles, nous renforçons aujourd'hui cet engagement mutuel pour un partenariat tourné vers l'innovation et la transformation structurelle de nos économies. En contribuant au Fonds, nous affirmons notre volonté de bâtir un partenariat équilibré, orienté vers des résultats concrets au service de nos populations ».
