The need for infrastructure development in emerging markets is critical. In most African countries, particularly the lower-income countries, infrastructure emerges as a major constraint on doing business. The cost of addressing Africa’s infrastructure needs is around $93 billion a year, according to the World Bank.

A third of this sum goes towards operation and maintenance, which is often omitted from the infrastructure development conversation. Unreliable power supply is a significant transaction cost for firms operating in the region, and they often resort to self-supply through the use of generators. Water supply, sanitation and transport similarly require substantial investment of an estimated US$ 40.1 billion collectively. The demands for infrastructure development in Africa, however, provides ample opportunity for business growth and business expansion across the continent.

Key sectors to be featured at the 2014 event include:

- Water

- Power

- ICT & Telecoms

- Transport

- Finance