SADC-DFRC Executive Director, Zwelibanzi Sapula, has called for a fundamental rethink of how the region connects its substantial pools of institutional capital with its development financing needs.

Speaking recently at Capacity Building for Board Members of CISNA, Mr Sapula highlighted that Africa holds an estimated US$1.1 trillion in institutional investor assets, while SADC continues to face an infrastructure financing gap of approximately US$30–40 billion annually.

“We have capital on one side and enormous development needs on the other. Perhaps Africa’s problem is not simply a shortage of capital. Perhaps we have an architecture problem.” – Zwelibanzi Sapula, Executive Director, SADC-DFRC

He emphasised the need to strengthen the relationship between Development Finance Institutions and institutional investors, with DFIs playing a greater role in project preparation, transaction structuring, risk mitigation and the creation of investable assets.

Mr Sapula also proposed exploring the concept of a SADC Institutional Capital Platform, a trusted regional architecture that could bring together pension funds, insurers, DFIs, regulators, governments and development partners to convert regional development opportunities into credible institutional investments.

The message is clear: SADC does not only need more capital. It needs stronger architecture to connect capital with opportunity.

This is the journey from oversight to foresight, and an opportunity to collectively shape a more resilient SADC financial future.