Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), one of Africa’s leading infrastructure finance companies, has announced a €100 million investment to help Mota-Engil Africa expand its mining operations in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire.
AFC’s growing dedication to releasing Africa’s mineral wealth and promoting sustainable industrial growth throughout the continent is reflected in the five-year facility, which will finance the purchase of equipment, inventory, and site infrastructure for three new gold mining projects.
The long-standing collaboration between AFC and Mota-Engil Africa, the African arm of the multinational engineering and construction conglomerate Mota-Engil Group, reaches a new high with this strategic funding. The two organisations have been working together since 2016 on a number of groundbreaking projects in Africa, such as mining, rail infrastructure, and aviation.
AFC’s €100 million investment to aid gold mining expansion in West Africa
The recently announced funding focuses on the expanding gold mining industry in West Africa, which is a vital source of income for Mali and Côte d’Ivoire. In addition to stimulating foreign exchange inflows, gold helps both nations create jobs and develop their value chains.
This project puts Mota-Engil in a position to expand operations and more effectively satisfy local mining demands as long as global gold prices stay high and demand for the precious metal remains stable.
In his remarks regarding the announcement, AFC President and CEO Samaila Zubairu emphasised the company’s dedication to long-term strategic investments that support Africa’s wider economic transformation.
“This transaction reinforces our nearly decade-long relationship with Mota-Engil Africa and reflects our shared ambition to fuel sustainable development,” Zubairu said. “Gold continues to be a key economic engine for many African nations. Our investment ensures that the region can harness this resource more effectively—boosting export income, creating local jobs, and strengthening industrial linkages.”
Mota-Engil Africa Chairman, Manuel Mota, praised the partnership, stating: “The successful financing of three gold mining projects through AFC is a milestone that highlights our operational strength and the faith that major institutions place in our regional strategy. This funding will accelerate our ability to deliver high-impact projects in the mining sector.”
AFC’s impact in Africa
This investment supports AFC’s plan to increase its market share in contractor financing throughout Africa. AFC continues to assist a variety of industries outside of mining, assisting contractors in filling financial gaps that impede the construction of infrastructure. One noteworthy instance is its commercial financing assistance for Conduril Engenharia S.A.’s 186 Metallic Bridges project in Angola.
Large-scale infrastructure projects in which Mota-Engil is a major player, like the Lobito Corridor railway in Angola, Nigeria’s $2 billion Kano-Maradi rail project, and Rwanda’s new Bugesera International Airport, have also benefitted greatly from AFC’s crucial advisory roles.
AFC was established in 2007 and has since expanded to become a continental force, funding vital infrastructure initiatives that support industrialisation, resilience, and equitable growth. The Corporation has a solid track record in industries like power, transportation, heavy industry, natural resources, and telecommunications, having invested more than $15 billion in 36 African nations and 45 member states.
To create a more prosperous Africa, AFC aims to act as a catalyst for practical infrastructure investment by fusing financial know-how with a solid operational track record. This most recent collaboration with Mota-Engil Africa is evidence of this goal.
