British International Investment (BII), the United Kingdom’s development finance institution and impact investor, has unveiled a new five-year strategy aimed at driving £9 billion of new capital into Africa to support economic growth and deepen investment in underserved markets.

Under the plan announced in London on Wednesday, BII said it would contribute nearly £5 billion directly, while the remaining balance is expected to come from private institutions within Africa and across the world.

The institution said a major pillar of the strategy is to accelerate the flow of private capital into African economies, especially markets where investment remains limited. Leveraging nearly 80 years of investing experience on the continent, BII said it would use its capital, partnerships and ability to absorb risk to attract more investors into sectors with scarce funding.

As part of the renewed strategy, BII pledged that at least 25 percent of its new investments by value would go to Least Developed Countries, many of which are in Africa. These frontier markets, home to more than one billion people, continue to face structural barriers that discourage private investment despite strong development needs.

BII also identified a select number of African frontier markets, including Sierra Leone and Zambia, where it plans to combine investment with policy engagement, technical support and partnerships to improve investment climates and strengthen local capital markets.

Across the continent, the institution said it would focus on sectors with strong developmental impact, including financial services, power, transport, trade, digital infrastructure and sustainable industries.

UK Minister for Development, Jenny Chapman, said the strategy aligns with Britain’s broader shift from traditional aid grants to long-term partnerships built on investment, expertise and international finance reform.

She said BII was central to the UK government’s new development approach and would play a leading role in turning shared ambitions into measurable outcomes over the next five years.

Managing Director and Head of Africa at BII, Chris Chijiutomi, said Africa had remained at the centre of the institution’s mission since its inception.

According to him, BII’s long history on the continent has given it deep experience in navigating economic cycles and understanding what businesses require to grow in challenging environments.

He said the new strategy would sharpen the institution’s focus on frontier markets, high-impact sectors and the mobilisation of domestic and global private capital where it can make the greatest difference.

BII further disclosed that at least 40 percent of its new investments would be channelled into climate finance, up from the previous target of 30 percent.

With nearly 600 million Africans still lacking access to electricity, the institution said it would support renewable energy expansion, stronger electricity networks and wider clean energy access. It added that the effort would contribute to Mission 300, an initiative aimed at connecting 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.

The institution also said it would expand its “market-level impact” investment approach, designed to develop broader sectors rather than support only individual companies.

In addition, BII said it would strengthen gender-focused investing, with a target for 30 per cent of new investments to qualify under the global 2X Challenge initiative supporting women’s economic empowerment.

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