Program highlights private sector-led solutions for job creation and growth
Program highlights private sector-led solutions for job creation and growth
LONDON, March 18, 2026 — The Financial Times and the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) have launched the third edition of the Africa Sustainable Futures Awards, a major annual program that promotes innovative, private sector-led solutions to development challenges in Africa.
Africa has one of the fastest-growing regional economies, backed by an abundance of natural resources and a vibrant and youthful population that is rapidly expanding. Yet much still needs to be done to counter the challenges faced by many communities, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected areas. It is also important to boost inclusive access to energy, infrastructure, finance, and technology that help support job creation, human development, and economic competitiveness.
The Africa Sustainable Futures Awards will again showcase commercially viable initiatives that provide transformative, resilient, and scalable solutions to these issues and address not just current needs but also the well-being of future generations. Building on the success of last year’s program, which drew more than 300 entries, special attention will be given to initiatives that move beyond traditional development models by effectively mobilizing capital, mitigating risks, and driving commercial and operational excellence.
“Energy, infrastructure, agribusiness and manufacturing remain key areas of focus, underlining the importance of building robust ecosystems that can lead to a more prosperous, self-sufficient and competitive Africa. I very much look forward to evaluating the entries,” said David Pilling, Africa editor of the Financial Times and co-chair of the Africa Sustainable Futures Awards judging panel.
Fellow judging panel co-chair Ed Mountfield, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at MIGA, which houses the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform, said: “Private capital will be central to meeting Africa’s development needs and creating sustainable jobs at scale. By demonstrating how investment can be mobilized and risks effectively managed, the initiatives recognized through these awards show how the private sector can help build more resilient industries, expand economic opportunity, and support inclusive growth.”
Entries will be accepted until June 30, 2026 in the following categories:
- Access to Energy
- Critical Infrastructure (non-Energy)
- Agribusiness
- Manufacturing Champions
- Innovation Showcase
Entry forms and criteria are available at africasustainablefuturesawards.live.ft.com.
Only initiatives launched in 2016 or later will be eligible. Each category will require entrants to meet a specific minimum revenue level.
The expert judging panel includes several high-level investors in Africa, including Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at British International Investment (BII); Mobola da-Silva, Partner, Capria Ventures; and Tshepidi Moremong, Chief Operating Officer at Africa50.
The winner in each category will be announced at a special awards dinner on October 22, 2026 concluding the FT’s Africa Summit, a major event in London that brings together African government, business, and finance leaders with global investors and industry partners to discuss how to drive forward the continent’s economic transformation.
For further information, please contact:
Elizabeth Howton, MIGA: ehowton [at] worldbankgroup.org (ehowton[at]worldbankgroup[dot]org)
Mark Staniland, FT: mark.staniland [at] ft.com (mark[dot]staniland[at]ft[dot]com)
About the Financial Times:
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organizations, recognized internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of 1.6mn, while the wider FT Group has a global paying audience of 3mn across its portfolio of journalism, products and services.
About the World Bank Group:
The World Bank Group works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It consists of the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
About MIGA and the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform:
MIGA is the World Bank Group’s guarantees arm, promoting cross-border investment in developing countries to support economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve people's lives by providing political risk insurance and credit enhancement guarantees to investors and lenders.
Initiated in 2024, the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform consolidates guarantee products and experts from across the World Bank Group. Housed at MIGA, it provides a simplified and comprehensive menu of guarantee solutions, enabling clients to select the instrument that best suits their needs. The platform streamlines processes, removes redundancies, and provides greater accessibility by de-risking investments in developing countries. Its goal is to boost the World Bank Group’s annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030.
For more information about MIGA and the guarantee platform, please visit: https://www.miga.org/.
Stay updated and follow us at https://https://x.com/miga and https://www.linkedin.com/company/wb-miga