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So you have an idea for an infrastructure project. What now?
Financiers will fund projects that don't exist yet — and the funding can run into the tens of millions. Here is how to start thinking about it, what matters most, and the order in which you should tackle the building blocks.
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The building blocks in order
1
The customer (offtaker) — the most critical bankability factor. Who will buy what you produce?
2
The land — the most challenging item to secure. Without rights, nothing can be built.
3
The contractor — who will build it. Generally easier to find once you have land and a customer.
4
The operator — who will run it. Often the same entity as the contractor.
Core concepts
Fundamentals
What is a project?
In the world of infrastructure finance, a "project" means something very specific — a ring-fenced, revenue-generating asset with its own legal structure, contracts, and cash flows. Here's what that means in practice.
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Roles
What is a project developer?
The developer is the person or organisation that originates and assembles the project — identifying the opportunity, securing the contracts, and navigating the path from idea to financial close. It is one of the most valuable roles in infrastructure.
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Context
What is infrastructure?
Power plants, water treatment facilities, roads, hospitals, manufacturing plants — infrastructure is the physical backbone of any economy. In Africa, it is also one of the largest investment opportunities of the century.
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Finance
What is project finance?
Project finance is a way of funding large assets where the lender looks primarily at the project's own cash flows — not the developer's balance sheet. It is how most major infrastructure in the world gets built.
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Finance
How to think about project finance
Lenders and investors are not evaluating you — they are evaluating the project's risk profile. Understanding how they think changes how you build and present your project. Here is a practical mental model.
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Opportunity
What is in it for entrepreneurs and developers?
Infrastructure development is one of the few fields where a single well-structured project can generate decades of value. Here is what the upside looks like — and why more African entrepreneurs should be building in this space.
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Ready to assess your project's bankability?
Answer 25 questions across 5 pillars. Get your score, gap analysis and a PDF report — free.