Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima urged African state and regional governments to move a reported $9.5 billion investment pipeline toward execution, putting project readiness at the center of efforts to attract capital across the continent.
Shettima said the pipeline comprised 134 opportunities across 14 sectors. The estimated value was $9.5 billion, with agriculture, agro-industry, digital technology, energy, health care, tourism, manufacturing and infrastructure among the areas represented.
The figure describes the estimated value of investment opportunities, not a reported total of signed deals or committed capital. It does not show how much financing, if any, has been secured. Shettima called for prepared feasibility work, predictable rules, ways to share risk and institutions able to deliver projects. He framed the task as moving from “investment potential to investment execution.”
Shettima linked subnational projects to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He said deeper trade among African economies would need functioning ports, reliable energy, transport and logistics systems, and digital infrastructure. State and regional governments influence roads, electricity, agricultural processing and industry, areas he connected to business activity and employment.
The sixth African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AfSNET) Investment Conference was an initiative of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), hosted by Cross River State with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. AfSNET brings sub-sovereign governments, including states, provinces and regions, together with investors and development partners. The 2026 meeting ran Nov. 12-14 at the Calabar International Convention Centre in Cross River State, Nigeria.
Afreximbank says the five earlier AfSNET editions facilitated more than $3.2 billion in investment opportunities and transactions. It separately lists a $2 billion commitment for sub-sovereign development. The site does not identify either figure as financing for the current pipeline. EconoTimes previously covered Afreximbank’s separate $2 billion financing commitment for sub-sovereign projects.
