Southern Africa: ISB opens Pretoria investment hub

The European Investment Bank opens a regional hub in Pretoria to support infrastructure and energy projects in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, in line with the European Union's Global Gateway strategy.

Share:

Siège de la EIB

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is strengthening its presence in Southern Africa with the opening of a regional hub in Pretoria, South Africa.
The new facility aims to increase financing for strategic infrastructure and energy projects in fourteen countries in the region, including those in the Indian Ocean.
The hub will serve as a base for developing stronger partnerships with local players, improving investment coordination and reinforcing the reach of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which focuses on sustainable infrastructure investment and private sector partnerships.

Increased support for infrastructure and energy projects

With this new hub in Pretoria, the EIB aims to step up its support for infrastructure projects, particularly in the energy, water and transport sectors.
The aim is to finance initiatives that meet pressing needs for basic services, while facilitating economic development and regional integration.
The bank emphasizes cooperation with local partners, including governments, regional development banks and private companies, to structure projects tailored to local challenges.
These investments cover both direct financing and co-financing, in collaboration with institutions such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
The new financing announced by the EIB includes an envelope of 300 million euros, which, when supplemented by South African partners, will reach 600 million euros.
These funds are intended for the private sector to support energy production projects, including solar and wind power installations, and to upgrade existing infrastructure.
This initiative is part of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), which aims to steer South Africa’s energy sector towards a greater diversity of energy sources, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Developing Public-Private Partnership Capacities

The Pretoria hub will serve as a base for a team of investment experts, policy analysts and economists, working in coordination with experts at ISB headquarters in Luxembourg.
This team will focus on creating strategic partnerships with local banks, development agencies and private companies to structure projects requiring substantial financing and advanced technical expertise.
This public-private partnership model is crucial to raising the necessary funds and mobilizing local resources, while ensuring that projects are viable and meet market needs.
Discussions with local stakeholders and governments are aimed at identifying strategic projects with high economic and social impact.
Financing will be provided for a variety of initiatives, ranging from the modernization of electricity infrastructures to the construction of new renewable energy production facilities.
The aim is to improve the reliability of South Africa’s electricity network and meet the challenges posed by growing energy demand.

A Strategy Aligned with Regional and European Priorities

The opening of the Pretoria hub is part of ISB’s wider strategy to increase its influence on the African continent.
The hub joins ISB’s existing regional offices in Nairobi, Abidjan and Cairo, covering East, West and North Africa respectively.
These offices enable better coordination of projects with local and regional institutions, while ensuring that investments are in line with local development priorities and European Union objectives.
Since the start of its operations in Africa in the 1970s, the EIB has provided financing for a wide range of projects, from transport networks to health infrastructure.
The aim is to support sustainable economic development and strengthen local capacities, notably through investment in small and medium-sized enterprises and telecommunications projects.

Future prospects and the challenges of investment projects

The extension of ISB’s presence in Southern Africa, through the Pretoria hub, aims to overcome several challenges.
These include the need for a stable regulatory framework, effective governance, and coordination between local partners.
Direct engagement on the ground via this hub is seen as essential to navigating these complex environments and facilitating the development of high-impact infrastructure projects.
Next steps for ISB will include identifying new funding opportunities, mobilizing local and international partners, and rigorously managing the associated financial risks.
Projects will need to be carefully selected to ensure their profitability and relevance to the region’s economic and social needs.

Ambassadors of European Union member states have approved the transmission of a legislative proposal to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports by January 2028 to the Council of Ministers.
The State Duma has approved Russia’s formal withdrawal from a treaty signed with the United States on the elimination of military-grade plutonium, ending over two decades of strategic nuclear cooperation.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was not in Poland’s interest to extradite to Germany a Ukrainian citizen suspected of taking part in the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022.
Al-Harfi and SCLCO signed agreements with Syrian authorities to develop solar and wind capacity, amid an ongoing energy rapprochement between Riyadh and Damascus.
Faced with risks to Middle Eastern supply chains, Thai and Japanese refiners are turning to US crude, backed by tariff incentives and strategies aligned with ongoing bilateral trade discussions.
France intercepted a tanker linked to Russian exports, prompting Emmanuel Macron to call for a coordinated European response to hinder vessels bypassing oil sanctions.
The activation of the snapback mechanism reinstates all UN sanctions on Iran, directly affecting the defence, financial and maritime trade sectors.
Commissioner Dan Jørgensen visits Greenland to expand energy ties with the European Union, amid plans to double EU funding for the 2028–2034 period.
European and Iranian foreign ministers meet in New York to try to prevent the reinstatement of UN sanctions linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announces a bilateral agreement with Mexico including targeted investments in energy corridors, logistics infrastructure and cross-border security.
The US president has called for an immediate end to Russian oil imports by NATO countries, denouncing a strategic contradiction as sanctions against Moscow are being considered.
Tehran withdrew a resolution denouncing attacks on its nuclear facilities, citing US pressure on IAEA members who feared suspension of Washington’s voluntary contributions.
Poland’s energy minister calls on European Union member states to collectively commit to halting Russian oil purchases within two years, citing increasing geopolitical risks.
Athens and Tripoli engage in a negotiation process to define their exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean, amid geopolitical tensions and underwater energy stakes.
European powers demand concrete steps from Tehran on nuclear issue or United Nations sanctions will be reinstated, as IAEA inspections remain blocked and tensions with Washington persist.
Brussels confirms its target to end all Russian energy imports by 2028, despite growing diplomatic pressure from Washington amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Donald Trump threatens to escalate US sanctions against Russia, but only if NATO member states stop all Russian oil imports, which remain active via certain pipelines.
The two countries agreed to develop infrastructure dedicated to liquefied natural gas to strengthen Europe's energy security and boost transatlantic trade.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls for modernising the oil industry and expanding export markets as Tehran faces the possible reactivation of 2015 nuclear deal sanctions.
The Ukrainian president demanded that Slovakia end its imports of Russian crude, offering an alternative supply solution amid ongoing war and growing diplomatic tensions over the Druzhba pipeline.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.