UKEF backs Francophone Africa infrastructure work

A number of key infrastructure projects in Africa are set to advance after the UK government’s export credit agency backed funding worth £330mn for contracts secured by various British firms

The export contracts will help deliver nine major infrastructure projects across Guinea and Benin and will see UK companies supplying goods and services spanning education, clean water, electricity transmission and government infrastructure.

The deals are being supported by £1.1bn in financing and guarantees from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and were unveiled at the fifth UK-West and Central Francophone Africa Trade and Investment Forum (WCAF) in Conakry, Guinea.

The forum brought together British businesses and potential partners from across the region.

UKEF announced that it is also increasing its exposure capacity across the region by £1.7bn, giving it greater capacity to support future projects involving UK firms.

Key projects covered include:

• £91 million to back the Guinea Regional Water Project, a multi-region programme expanding access to clean, potable water through new treatment and distribution infrastructure, delivered by UK-headquartered Aqua Africa, which has previously secured UKEF-backed financing for water infrastructure in the region.

• £129 million towards the La Cotiere Conakry Transmission project in Guinea, part of a wider electricity network programme to improve power distribution around the country’s coastal region, with the contract secured by Elecnor and expected to create UK supply-chain opportunities in transmission equipment, grid technology and engineering services.

• £82 million to help fund a new government administrative complex in Benin, consolidating public services within a modern urban development, with the contract awarded to ACC UK Group Ltd and opportunities for UK firms to contribute design, engineering, security systems and specialist building services.

• £75 million to support a large-scale education infrastructure programme delivering new primary and secondary schools across four regions, improving access to education for thousands of children through modern classrooms, sanitation and related facilities, with the contract won by Planet One.

“British businesses have won a huge number of contracts to support key infrastructure projects across the region in recent years, driving job creation in the UK while helping our partners in francophone Africa build the infrastructure they need,” said UKEF’s CEO Tim Reid.

“This is part of the reason we hold the WCAF: we’ve seen many deals signed over the years, and it highlights how UKEF can make a real difference around the world while driving growth in every postcode of the UK.”