As Africa’s climate ambitions collide with tightening fiscal realities, attention is shifting decisively from commitments to delivery. While governments across the continent have adopted climate and development strategies, converting those plans into bankable, investable projects remains a central challenge.
According to the Africa Climate Finance Tracking Report 2025, current climate finance flows meet only about 25% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s annual climate financing needs, underscoring the depth of the implementation gap.
It is against this backdrop that Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) 2026 will take place from 24–27 February 2026 in Cape Town. Held under the theme “From Ambition to Action: Scaling Investment in Africa’s Green and Blue Solutions,” the summit will convene policymakers, investors, project developers, and development partners to focus on what it takes to move climate projects from planning to financial close.
Africa continues to attract a disproportionately small share of global climate finance even as climate-related shocks, energy constraints, and water stress intensify across the continent. At the same time, declining concessional flows and increased competition for private capital are accelerating a shift toward investment-led approaches and the development of credible, resilient project pipelines.
“Global climate discussions often focus on commitments and coordination, but delivery ultimately depends on where capital decisions are made,” said Emmanuelle Nicholls, Group Director – Green Economy at VUKA Group.
“Africa’s Green Economy Summit creates a space to examine which projects, in which markets, are ready to meet today’s financial realities and move toward implementation.”
From Pledges to Financial Close
Unlike global climate forums centred on declarations, AGES 2026 is structured around the realities of capital allocation—where funding is flowing, where it is stalling, and which projects are realistically positioned to reach bankability.
The programme will examine the practical conditions required for delivery, including risk allocation, regulatory certainty, blended-finance structures, and investment readiness across priority green and blue economy sectors.
“The real constraint is not a lack of projects, but a lack of financing structures that can meet projects where they are,” said Teboho Makhabane, Head of ESG and Impact at Sanlam Investments. “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.”
Continental Mandate and AU-GRAP Focus
Reinforcing its continental mandate, the African Union will return as host organisation of AGES 2026. 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 outcomes from 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.
“We can only close the climate and nature finance gap if we understand the real movements of capital, both the momentum and the constraints,” said Barbara Buchner, Global Managing Director of the Climate Policy Initiative.
“Finance is still not reaching the regions and sectors that need it most. An objective view of where global climate finance is heading—and how it aligns with development goals—is essential for unlocking investment at scale.”
Investment Pitch and Project Showcase
A central feature of the summit is its Investment Pitch and Showcase, presenting a curated pipeline of over 50 vetted African projects spanning:
Renewable energy and battery storage
Climate-resilient water and sanitation systems
Electric mobility and transport infrastructure
Waste-to-value and circular manufacturing
Climate-smart agriculture and food systems
Resilience and adaptation technologies
AGES 2026 is supported by a growing coalition of partners committed to Africa’s green transition, including Standard Bank, UNOPS, UNEP, FSD Africa, Wesgro, City of Cape Town, Polyco, KULU Eco Services, the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL), AFD, and Atlantis Special Economic Zone.
By focusing on where capital meets implementation, Africa’s Green Economy Summit 2026 aims to accelerate a more grounded, investment-ready phase of climate action across the continent.
More information and registration: www.GreenEconomySummit.com
Event brochure: http://apo-opa.co/4jVIhHr
