Kenya has been challenged to step up preparation of bankable projects if it is to fully benefit from the billions of dollars available for Africa’s infrastructure transformation.
That was the call to action at the recent PMI Global Summit Series Africa in Kigali, where African Development Bank (AfDB) leaders and nearly 1,000 delegates cited poorly prepared projects, rather than lack of financing, as the single biggest obstacle to Africa’s growth.
The call resonates well for Kenya, which continues to grapple with high energy costs, unfinished mega projects and a growing urban population.
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From Nairobi’s expressway and expected Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridors to Konza Technopolis and renewable energy ventures in Turkana, Kenya has shown ambition, but experts warn that without bankable design, sound financial structures, and risk-proof execution, many projects risk stalling or losing investor confidence.
Delivering his keynote, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, outgoing President of the AfDB, stressed that Africa is at a tipping point.
“The world is becoming more African,” he said, pointing to the continent’s demographic weight and resource endowment.
He emphasised that projects must not only exist on paper but must tangibly improve lives.
“As one Kenyan beneficiary told me, ‘We once were in darkness. Now we have light.’ That is the true measure of success.”
Kenya has already been a major beneficiary of AfDB-backed initiatives under the Bank’s high five priorities – from transmission lines that strengthen the national grid, to rural electrification and support for agricultural value chains.
These examples underscore how properly structured projects can deliver direct impact.
PMI Sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director George Asamani said: “At Project Management Institute (PMI), we believe project success is not measured only by schedules and budgets, but by outcomes that change lives. Dr. Adesina captured this perfectly when he said projects must change lives,” said Asamani.
“Africa’s future will be shaped not by the number of projects we launch, but by the impact those projects deliver.”
AfDB Director of the Development Impact and Results Department Armand Nzeyimana warned that poor preparation comes at a steep cost.
“Projects designed for five years often stretch to eight or more. Every missed deadline is not just a financial loss; it delays development,” he said.
In Kenya, delays in key road, housing, and energy projects have real consequences for competitiveness and job creation.
The Kigali Summit, which was held between August 19 and 22 under the theme, Africa On Purpose, showcased Rwanda’s transformation as a case study in disciplined planning and delivery.
Kenya, with its strategic location, human capital, and infrastructure ambitions, is well-placed to lead East Africa in turning vision into bankable projects.
Adesina closed with a proposal for deeper collaboration between AfDB and PMI, aimed at training the next generation of African project professionals.
“Even as I near the end of my term, I see extraordinary opportunities for the AfDB and PMI to forge a strategic alliance that raises global standards in project delivery,” he said.
He added: “We can create learning partnerships that blend PMI’s global methodologies with the bank’s deep experience in cross-border initiatives, while building the next generation of African project professionals among the world’s most capable. Africa is brimming with opportunities, but to seize them, we must develop and execute projects at scale, with excellence and purpose.”
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Kenya has been challenged to step up preparation of bankable projects if it is to fully benefit from the billions of dollars available for Africa’s infrastructure transformation.
That was the call to action at the recent PMI Global Summit Series Africa in Kigali, where African Development Bank (AfDB) leaders and nearly 1,000 delegates cited poorly prepared projects, rather than lack of financing, as the single biggest obstacle to Africa’s growth.
The call resonates well for Kenya, which continues to grapple with high energy costs, unfinished mega projects and a growing urban population.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
From Nairobi’s expressway and expected Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridors to Konza Technopolis and renewable energy ventures in Turkana, Kenya has shown ambition, but experts warn that without bankable design, sound financial structures, and risk-proof execution, many projects risk stalling or losing investor confidence.
Delivering his keynote, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, outgoing President of the AfDB, stressed that Africa is at a tipping point.
“The world is becoming more African,” he said, pointing to the continent’s demographic weight and resource endowment.
He emphasised that projects must not only exist on paper but must
tangibly improve lives.
“As one Kenyan beneficiary told me, ‘We once were in darkness. Now we have light.’ That is the true measure of success.”
Kenya has already been a major beneficiary of AfDB-backed initiatives under the Bank’s high five priorities – from transmission lines that strengthen the national grid, to rural electrification and support for agricultural value chains.
These examples underscore how properly structured projects can deliver direct impact.
PMI Sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director George Asamani said: “At Project Management Institute (PMI), we believe project success is not measured only by schedules and budgets, but by outcomes that change lives. Dr. Adesina captured this perfectly when he said projects must change lives,” said Asamani.
“Africa’s future will be shaped not by the number of projects we launch, but by the impact those projects deliver.”
AfDB Director of the Development Impact and Results Department Armand Nzeyimana warned that poor preparation comes at a steep cost.
“Projects designed for five years often stretch to eight or more. Every missed deadline is not just a financial loss; it delays development,” he said.
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In Kenya, delays in key road, housing, and energy projects have real consequences for competitiveness and job creation.
The Kigali Summit, which was held between August 19 and 22 under the theme, Africa On Purpose, showcased Rwanda’s transformation as a case study in disciplined planning and delivery.
Kenya, with its strategic location, human capital, and infrastructure ambitions, is well-placed to lead East Africa in turning vision into bankable projects.
Adesina closed with a proposal for deeper
collaboration between AfDB and PMI
, aimed at training the next generation of African project professionals.
“Even as I near the end of my term, I see extraordinary opportunities for the AfDB and PMI to forge a strategic alliance that raises global standards in project delivery,” he said.
He added: “We can create learning partnerships that blend PMI’s global methodologies with the bank’s deep experience in cross-border initiatives, while building the next generation of African project professionals among the world’s most capable. Africa is brimming with opportunities, but to seize them, we must develop and execute projects at scale, with excellence and purpose.”
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By James Wanzala