Sahara supports sustainable investment and climate finance for Africa at the UNGA

Sahara called for greater mobilization of sustainable investment and climate finance to accelerate Africa’s development, strengthen economic resilience and create lasting prosperity across the continent.

Speaking at a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) roundtable on sustainable global investment, economic resilience and climate finance, Dr Kola Adesina, Chief Executive Officer of the Sahara Power Enterprise Group, said Africa’s growth ambitions depend on building productive economies that can withstand economic, environmental and geopolitical shocks.

According to Adesina, sustainable investment, economic resilience and climate finance should be pursued as interconnected priorities, particularly as Africa continues to face significant challenges in infrastructure, energy, food security and employment.

Experts say the scale of opportunity in Africa is substantial as nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity, as well as a continent-wide annual infrastructure financing gap of between $68 billion and $108 billion.

“Africa’s most pressing challenge is to expand its large-scale production capacity. We need sustained investment in energy, infrastructure, industry, agriculture and business development to create jobs, strengthen competitiveness and support long-term resilience,” Adesina said.

He noted that the global investment landscape presents significant opportunities for Africa. Foreign direct investment reached approximately $1.6 trillion in 2025, while assets tied to sustainable investment strategies grew to $16.7 trillion globally, reflecting growing investor demand for projects that deliver both financial and development value.

Adesina highlighted that climate finance is a critical enabler of resilient growth, particularly as African economies face increasing exposure to droughts, floods, extreme heat and other climate-related risks, despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Africa requires substantial investment not only to grow, but also to protect the infrastructure, businesses, food systems and communities that support development,” he said.

He noted that African countries need around US$277 billion per year to implement their climate commitments, compared to climate finance flows of around US$30 billion per year, underscoring the need for innovative financial structures that can unlock more capital for mitigation and adaptation projects.

Drawing on Sahara’s experience, Adesina highlighted the company’s investments in LNG, LPG, power generation infrastructure and logistics, alongside its commitment to a net-zero emissions ambition by 2060 through the strategic development of gas infrastructure, the integration of renewable energy and nature-based solutions.

The discussion aligns with Sahara’s Beyond XXX platform, a future-focused commitment to advance sustainable development through investment, innovation, talent, collaboration, environmental stewardship and solutions that create long-term value across Africa and beyond.

Adesina called for stronger project preparation, greater mobilization of African institutional capital, deeper local currency financing markets and greater regional collaboration in energy, transport and logistics infrastructure.

“Africa’s opportunity lies in building resilient prosperity, where investments translate into productive capacity, jobs, reliable infrastructure and sustainable economic growth that lasts for generations. This is the kind of future sustainable investment and climate finance that can help unlock the entire continent,” he added.