The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched the UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, Third Edition - Climate Opportunities at the Africa Impact Summit 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report provides an overview of private sector opportunities with economic, social and environmental potential for sustainable development progress across Africa. The report offers SDGs investment data and trends across the continent, and describes financing opportunities, making the case for public support for impactful investments. It is published by the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH) and is based on data from the SDGs Investor Maps, UNDP's market intelligence tool on investments for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This third edition of the Report emphasizes climate-related investment opportunities utilizing market intelligence from 16 African SDGs Investor Maps. Released in partnership with UNDP's Climate Promise, it provides avenues for the private sector to support African countries Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, drawing on UNDP's climate expertise and its global Climate Promise 2025.
The report shows that climate action is a critical opportunity for the private sector: more than half of the SDGs investment opportunities identified in the African SDGs Investor Maps contribute to climate action and support NDCs. Most climate opportunities for the private sector are adaptation interventions, followed by mitigation and dual benefits.
"Through the UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, we turn Africa's climate challenges into investment opportunities for the private sector, as per the continent's own ambition captured in national NDCs," said Maxwell Gomera, Director of the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub. "The report is based on a multitude of proven business models, which can have significant financial performance - while creating strong impact across many SDGs. As UNDP, we call on investors to play their role in realising opportunities for positive climate action."
During a panel discussion at the report launch, investor and ecosystem representatives shared success stories of impact-led investments in sustainability and the climate. Speakers from UNDP, Impact Investing Kenya, AlphaMundi and FSD Africa Investment discussed best practices around SDGs and NDC investment activities, especially how investors can crowd-in additional private financing through risk-bearing capital and innovative financing instruments. The discussion also highlighted the importance of investors and enterprises measuring and managing their impact to have credibility on the private sector's SDGs contributions.
"The UNDP report is a clear signal to Africa's investing community to do more to support the continent's sustainable development progress, utilizing the private sector's capacities and resources," said Rosemary Amondi, East Africa Regional Director at ANDE and Chair of the Host Steering Committee. "As an ecosystem, we require such market intelligence to establish a baseline on our respective responsibilities and the potential impact-led economies have. We thank UNDP for this resource and their collaboration in the Africa Impact Summit".
Organized by the Africa Impact Investing Group, which is comprised of Impact Investing National Advisory Boards and country task forces in collaboration with the Global Steering Group on Impact Investing-GSG Impact, the Africa Impact Summit is the leading forum for impact investing thought leadership, networking and deal making in Africa. UNDP is proud to serve as a Knowledge Partner at the Africa Impact Summit 2024. It convened over 400 delegates from Africa and beyond under the theme "Accelerating Action for the Africa We Want through Impact Investing".
