African leaders have called for increased investment in energy, infrastructure and industrial development as the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group began in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

The appeal was made during a presidential dialogue attended by Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema, Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso and Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, alongside African Development Bank Group President Sidi Ould Tah.

The leaders urged African nations and development partners to mobilise more private sector financing to support economic growth, improve electricity access and close the continent’s infrastructure gap.

President Nguema said Gabon was working to turn its forest and biodiversity resources into economic opportunities through eco-tourism and carbon credit programmes while preserving the environment.

Nguesso said Congo was seeking to diversify its economy beyond oil by investing in fertiliser production using its natural gas, phosphate and potash reserves. He also stressed that energy development remained critical for Africa’s industrial growth.

Touadéra called for stronger support for road, electricity and regional connectivity projects in the Central African Republic, saying improved peace and stability had created opportunities for investment.

The leaders also backed Mission 300, a joint initiative of the African Development Bank and the World Bank Group aimed at expanding electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Sidi Ould Tah said Africa still had large untapped financial resources that could help fund development projects if governments improved investment conditions and created more bankable projects to attract investors.

He added that the Bank would continue working with governments and financial institutions to mobilise financing and increase foreign direct investment across the continent.