Brickstone Empowers Infrapreneurs In Bridging Africa’s $107.5 Billion Infrastructure Gap

Lagos, 23 – 27 of October 2023 – Brickstone Africa successfully held its annual Africa Infrapreneurs Programme (AIP), a capacity building initiative designed for aspiring infrapreneurs seeking to improve their project finance and infrastructure development knowledge and skills.

This year’s training was made possible through a primary collaboration with The African Catalyst, along with the invaluable support of our esteemed facilitators from around the globe.

Key Highlights from The Africa Infrapreneurs Programme ’23

Identifying the multifaceted challenges faced by large-scale projects in Africa and their impact on hindering progress, Brickstone Africa recognized the critical role these challenges play in impeding projects from advancing beyond the early or ideation stage – such impediments standing between Africa realizing its sustainable and infrastructure goals. 

To bridge Africa’s $108 billion infrastructure deficit, infrapreneurs must secure the right financing resources and build the capacity to overcome early-stage challenges in project development and financial closure.

The main aim of the programme is to empower infrapreneurs with in-depth knowledge, skills, and capacity necessary to propel their large-scale projects beyond initial stages, overcoming constraints to achieve completion. Importantly, the program seeks to establish and reinforce the presence and expertise of infrapreneurs in the dynamic infra-business world.

This 5-day intensive capacity-building event drew the participation of 25 high-level individuals, including professionals and business representatives from renowned companies such as SIFAX Group, Leadway Assurance Company, KHS Machine, among others.

Adopting a hybrid delivery model, and a learning framework divided into seven (7) sessions, the training programme provided participants with a blend of lectures and practical studies. This approach offered a comprehensive overview of key topics related to infrastructure development in Africa, all viewed through the lens of project finance. Covering aspects from project development using project finance to various project development stages and post-financial close activities, the sessions delved into a wide spectrum of crucial project development aspects.

The programme underscored the importance of project bankability as a critical factor in ensuring a smoother path toward securing the necessary funds for project realization. This emphasis serves as a vital assurance that the project is not only economically viable and financially feasible but also well-structured, making it an attractive proposition for potential financiers and stakeholders.

In project finance, achieving bankability is paramount. Infrapreneurs must focus on ensuring projects meet the necessary criteria for financial institutions, enhancing their viability and securing crucial funding. This emphasis on bankability is key to the success of project finance deals.

In guiding participants towards attaining project bankability, the Africa Infrapreneurs Programme (AIP) learning curriculum introduced them to the Brickstone Bankability Framework. This framework is systematically divided into three segments: Predictable Cash Flow, Fixed Construction Delivery & Operations, and Governance and Sustainability. This provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted aspects that contribute to project bankability. Learn more here.

All lessons were delivered by expert professionals from diverse sectors, including infrastructure, finance, banking, legal, climate change, and investment. These expert educators brought a wealth of real-world experience and specialized knowledge to the learning environment, ensuring participants received a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. 

Attendees were also provided with valuable opportunities to foster professional connections, share individual experiences and ongoing projects, pose questions, and seek guidance and advice. This collaborative environment allowed participants to not only expand their professional networks but also gain insights from their peers and industry experts. 

The close-out session featured the participation of Jobalo Oshikanlu, Executive Director, Legal and Investments, who provided key learning conclusions and outlined the next steps after AIP. Subsequently, a vote of thanks was given, followed by the delivery of certificates to participants and a group picture.

Femi Awofala, Founder, Brickstone Africa and CEO, The African Catalyst expressed his sincere gratitude to every participant and facilitators who contributed to the resounding success of AIP 2023. Speaking on behalf of the entire Brickstone team involved in the event, he conveyed appreciation for the collective effort that made the program impactful.

“As an infrastructure development enabling platform, our primary goal is to accelerate the pace of infrastructure development in Africa by supporting infrapreneurs in scaling up their businesses. We strive to equip them with the necessary tools and resources to harness the vast infrastructure opportunities across the continent. It was truly an honor to take a significant step forward in realizing our mission through the AIP 2023.

We remain committed to creating more opportunities like this, recognizing the pivotal role that events of this nature play in shaping the future of infrastructure development in Africa. I anticipate ongoing collaboration and progress in advancing the infrastructure landscape for the continent. The success of AIP 2023 strengthens our resolve to continue fostering impactful initiatives that contribute to the sustainable growth of Africa’s infrastructure sector”, he stated.

To benefit from this transformative opportunity, learn more about the Africa Infrapreneurs Programme here.