Are you developing a bankable project in Francophone Africa?
Project sponsors, companies, public agencies, investment promoters and financial institutions are invited to submit projects for consideration for the WCAF V Deal Rooms.The Deal Rooms are designed to connect credible opportunities with investors, lenders, development finance institutions, export finance providers, banks, technical assistance providers and strategic partners.
Potential partners include
BII | ARIA | UKEF | | commercial banks | private equity investors | DFIs | technical assistance providers
What types of projects are invited?
Projects developed by established African companies with a demonstrable history of operations, sound and transparent governance structures, and at least three consecutive years of audited financial statements.
Minimum ticket size: Projects seeking USD 1 million or more in financing.
The Deal Rooms can support projects seeking:
- Investor engagement
- DFI consideration
- Bank debt or equity investment
- Export finance or guarantee support
- Technical assistance and project structuring
Important note:
Submission, assessment, scoring, selection or participation in the WCAF V Deal Rooms does not constitute, imply or create any offer, approval, endorsement, mandate, financing, guarantee, insurance, investment, procurement decision or commitment by WCAF, BII, ARIA, UKEF, any government, bank, DFI, investor or participating partner at any stage of the process. Any future engagement, support or financing would be subject to separate due diligence, internal approvals, formal documentation and the relevant decision-making processes of each party.
Required Submission Pack
Each project sponsor should submit the following information. The project summary note should be no more than five pages:
| 1 | Project summary note A short note covering the project, sponsor, financing requirement, current status and key risks. |
| 2 | Sponsor profile Legal name, ownership, management team, track record, country experience and relevant delivery experience. |
| 3 | Financial information Latest audited accounts where available, recent management accounts, funding history, current debt position and existing lender or investor relationships. |
| 4 | Project financial model or budget For mature projects, a financial model. For earlier-stage projects, a detailed budget and capital requirement. |
| 5 | Use of funds A clear explanation of how the requested financing will be used. |
| 6 | Commercial case Evidence of demand, customer base, offtake, tariff structure, market need, revenue model or government payment mechanism. |
| 7 | Project readiness evidence Permits, land status, feasibility studies, procurement status, concession status, licences, engineering studies, implementation plan or other readiness evidence where available. |
| 8 | Environmental and social information Any ESIA, screening report, land acquisition information, community issues, climate risks, labour issues or environmental permits. |
| 9 | Risk summary The main project risks and how they are expected to be mitigated. |
| 10 | Specific Deal Room ask What the sponsor wants from WCAF V: investor introductions, DFI engagement, bank debt, export finance, technical assistance, government engagement, guarantees, equity, strategic partners or project structuring support. |
How projects will be assessed
Projects will be reviewed against simple bankability criteria. Projects do not need to be fully bankable at the point of submission, but sponsors should be clear about what is complete, what is outstanding and what support is required.
| Criteria | Key question |
|---|---|
| Sponsor credibility | Is the sponsor transparent, capable and experienced? |
| Project clarity | Is the project clearly defined? |
| Commercial case | Is there demand, revenue and a path to repayment or return? |
| Financing plan | Is the funding requirement realistic and well explained? |
| Readiness | Are key studies, approvals, permits and partners in place or clearly identified? |
| Risk and ESG | Are the main risks, environmental, social and governance issues understood and disclosed? |
| Deal Room ask | Is it clear what support is being sought from WCAF V partners? |
What makes a strong submission?
Who should apply?
You should submit a project if you have a credible opportunity seeking finance, investors, partners, export finance, DFI engagement, technical assistance or project-structuring support, and you are ready to engage seriously before, during and after WCAF V.
Please send your completed Project Submission Pack to: dealroom@developingmarkets.com, with the Email subject line: WCAF V Deal Room Submission – [Project Name] – [Country] – [Sponsor Name]
The Submission deadline is 14th August 2026.