Tokyo, August 19, 2025 – On the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9), the African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), in partnership with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), organized a high-level meeting focused on increasing Japanese investments in Africa.
Under the theme “Stimulating Japanese private sector investments in Africa“, the event brought together senior government officials, financing institutions, and major Japanese companies to explore concrete strategies for mobilizing sustainable capital to the continent. Discussions highlighted Japan’s growing interest in high value-added African sectors such as infrastructure, energy, digital transformation, and telecommunications.
A case in point was extensively analyzed: the project “Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc (STE)“, considered the largest foreign direct investment in Ethiopia and one of the flagship projects supported by Japan in Africa. ATIDI played a key role by providing a ten-year political risk insurance policy to Sumitomo Corporation, a consortium member, with reinsurance from NEXI. This coverage – covering expropriation, monetary inconvertibility, and contract breach – illustrates the effectiveness of the joint ATIDI-NEXI mechanisms in securing Japanese capital on the continent.
Beyond this project, the meeting examined the levers for mobilizing Japanese institutional capital through mixed financing models and public-private partnerships. MUFG detailed its experience in structuring cross-border financing, while ATIDI presented its range of risk mitigation instruments tailored to the specific needs of Japanese investors.
A highlight of the meeting was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ATIDI and MUFG to strengthen their cooperation. Their joint portfolio already includes 72 insurance policies covering over $5.4 billion in transactions across several African countries, with nearly $1.86 billion in exposures on financings arranged by MUFG.
“To unlock Africa’s potential, ambitious partnerships and innovative risk management solutions are needed,” said Manuel Moses, CEO of ATIDI, emphasizing the institution’s role as a catalyst in anchoring Japanese capital. Atsuo Kuroda, President and CEO of NEXI, reiterated the commitment of the public agency, which became a shareholder of ATIDI in 2023, to support Japanese companies in Africa.
Aligned with the theme of TICAD-9, “Co-creating innovative solutions with Africa“, this initiative illustrates the shared willingness of ATIDI, MUFG, and NEXI to build a trusted ecosystem to transform Africa’s potential into sustainable prosperity.
