IFC Africa

EVENT | 1.2B young people across emerging economies will reach working age over the next decade but only about 420M jobs are expected to be created. Join us at the #WBGMeetings on April 22 for a conversation on creating pathways to more and better jobs: http://wrld.bg/iSq350VAJIw

Next week, I will participate at the 2025 Spring Meetings of The World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C., an important opportunity to discuss, debate, and accelerate impact. A major focus of this year’s event is #Jobs – and the private sector is central to solving this and other pressing challenges in Africa. We will discuss and strategize on a range of topics, from agribusiness and digital innovation to energy and financial inclusion, looking for long-term solutions that will spur social and economic development. IFC - International Finance Corporation is working with partners to expand our reach and the Spring Meetings are an excellent opportunity to deepen existing partnerships and create new ones.  I look forward to joining the conversations and reinforcing IFC’s commitment to Africa’s growth story—one built on opportunity, equity, and innovation. #WBGMeetings #IFCinAfrica

Dignity. Growth. Stability. Jobs are more than paychecks — they’re stepping stones to independence. In this IFC #AudioStories episode, we hear from #women who rose through the ranks at Royal Apparel in #Kenya, a company that’s now creating 4,500 more jobs with support from IFC. 🎧 Tune in to hear how targeted #investment and #gender-smart practices are making it happen: http://wrld.bg/8JRb50VCa4T #JobCreation #Kenya #WBGMeetings #IFCimpact #IFCPartnerships Tag: @ Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada

A job is more than a livelihood—it’s a source of dignity, stability, and a pathway to prosperity. Yet across Africa, the scale of the employment challenge is growing. Over the next decade, 362 million young people will reach working age—but only 151 million job opportunities are projected to be available. We must act boldly. That’s why The World Bank Group is raising its ambition to create more—and better—jobs. In Kenya, IFC - International Finance Corporation’s $15 million investment in Royal Apparel, including $5 million from the Canada GROW Facility, is helping the company expand its operations and impact. Today, Royal Apparel employs over 5,800 workers—70% of them women—and our partnership is expected to create an additional 4,500 jobs. This is about more than numbers. It’s about empowering women, unlocking opportunity, and building a more hopeful future for Africa’s next generation. Listen to IFC Audio Stories to learn more: http://wrld.bg/GPR450VAOE6 Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada #JobCreation #Kenya #WBGMeetings #IFCimpact #IFCPartnerships #IFCAudioStories

Unlocking West Africa's agricultural potential means scaling up #ClimateSmart #Irrigation - and the private sector is key. At a recent The World Bank Group-supported Irrigation Forum in #Dakar, stakeholders highlighted the need for bold, cross-sector solutions - to address the Sahel region's pressing #Climate and #Water challenges — including erratic rainfall, recurrent droughts, and critically low irrigation coverage, with less than 1 percent of farmland currently irrigated. The IFC - International Finance Corporation and The World Bank are helping to drive this transformation through strategic investments, advisory services, and blended finance. A prime example is the PARIIS project, where the World Bank and IFC have scaled irrigation solutions across the Sahel, covering more than 2,000 sites. This initiative has improved irrigation across six countries, benefiting nearly 20,000 hectares of irrigated land, enhancing farmer resilience, and producing an additionally 380,000 additional tons of agricultural products annually. The recent Sahel Declaration in Dakar reaffirms our commitment to the region and sets ambitious targets that build on past achievements. This new and innovative approach leverages the region’s strengths, including a large youthful population, a robust entrepreneurial SME sector, and abundant land, subsurface water, and sunlight. Private sector engagement is emerging as a key driver in this transformation: by investing in innovation, strengthening value chains, and empowering smallholder farmers, we can build resilient food systems across the region. IFC is also helping to catalyze sustainable agri-tech solutions through the MAVA agri-finance platform, which provides crucial financing to SMEs and agribusinesses delivering irrigation services to farmers. #ForumDakar10 #Agribusiness #IFCinAfrica #FoodSecurity #IFCinAfrica Olivier Buyoya, Dahlia Khalifa, Sylvain Kakou, Jean Marcel NIANKOUN, Yannick Ntangke, Arnaud Ligan, Alice Ouedraogo; David I.; Richard Colback; Amadou Ba ; Fatouma Toure Ibrahima; Nouma Dione

🌍 Africa’s private sector is the key to unlocking sustainable economic growth—but how can it thrive in a world where capital is shifting, and economic competition is at an all-time high?     At the Africa CEO Forum, 2,000+ CEOs, investors, and policymakers to explore how African businesses can navigate new challenges and seize emerging opportunities.    Under this year’s theme, “Africa in a Transactional World: Can a New Deal Between State and Private Sector Deliver the Continent a Winning Hand?”, conversations at the event will focus on governance, industrial policies, and trade acceleration as Africa’s key levers for growth.   Join the debates in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, on May 12-13!     🔗 http://wrld.bg/Gaq450Vj5Up     #ACF2025 #IFCinAfrica IFC Africa

#WBGMeetings event | With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age soon, we need scalable and sustainable job solutions more than ever. This event will focus on creating job opportunities for the developing world's fast-growing youth population. Hear: 🌍 Inspiring stories from young people 💼 Conversations with private sector leaders 🏛️ Insights from World Bank Group experts 📅 Mark your calendar for April 22 and ask your questions ahead of the event. http://wrld.bg/Eqyg50VCb7n

👕 From a rented shed to a $50 million business — and 5,800 jobs along the way.  In Kenya, Royal Apparel is proving that the garment industry can stitch together opportunity, especially for women. With support from IFC and the Canada GROW fund, the company is scaling up sustainably — and creating thousands of new jobs. 🎧 Listen to our latest IFC #AudioStories episode to hear how investments in local #manufacturing are transforming lives and communities: http://wrld.bg/NW9m50VAOAN Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada IFC Africa #JobCreation #Kenya #WBGMeetings #IFCimpact #IFCPartnerships 

For small business owners like Francisca Endoli, a smartphone is a gamechanger. Endoli’s shoe business is no longer confined to her stall in a market in Nairobi. Now, she can access digital platforms and sell her shoes across the country after purchasing a smartphone through M-KOPA. With IFC - International Finance Corporation's backing, M-KOPA is turning small businesses into nationwide ventures, bridging the digital divide and fostering economic opportunities. More than 2 million M-KOPA customers have used their smartphones to springboard into the digital economy, according to M-KOPA impact data from 2023. At the Africa CEO Forum, participants will share more on how private sector leadership is turning challenges into opportunity across the continent. ➡️http://wrld.bg/OZPt50SgFfY #DigitalDivide #ACF2025

Who knew my best career move would be becoming an animation? 🎬✨ I had an incredible time sharing my career journey on this amazing new IFC - International Finance Corporation audio story series. It's been a fantastic experience to see my story come to life in such a creative way and I hope the lessons I have learned can inspire others on their journey.