ADF approves US$9 million grant to strengthen financial integration across East Africa
The East African Community Secretariat will implement the project, which aims to accelerate cross-border investment, improve the efficiency of financial markets, and expand access to long-term financing across nine countries
KAMPALA, June 28, 2026 — The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund [ADF] has approved a US$ 9 million [approximately Shs 33,3 billion] grant to deepen financial integration across East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
The funding for the East Africa and Horn of Africa Capital Markets and Payment Systems Integration Project will be drawn from the Fund’s 16th replenishment cycle. The ADF is the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group.
The East African Community Secretariat will implement the project, which aims to accelerate cross-border investment, improve the efficiency of financial markets, and expand access to long-term financing across nine countries: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The EAC-CAMPSI project is expected to foster more efficient and integrated capital markets, improve access to financial services for businesses and citizens, strengthen market infrastructure and payment systems, enhance regulatory and institutional capacity in participating countries, and promote greater participation of women and young people in regional financial markets.
The initiative advances the East African Community Cross-Border Master Plan [2025–2030] and contributes directly to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area by strengthening the financial infrastructure needed to support regional trade and investment.
EAC Secretary General Stephen Patrick Mbundi underscored the project’s strategic importance, saying the future of East Africa’s economy will depend not only on the movement of goods and services, but also on the seamless flow of capital.
“This project represents an important step towards a more integrated regional financial system that can mobilise investment, deepen financial markets, and create new opportunities for businesses and citizens across our region,” he said. “We welcome the African Development Bank’s continued partnership in advancing the East African Community’s vision of a more connected and prosperous East Africa.”
Ahmed Attout, Director for Financial Sector Development at the African Development Bank Group, emphasised the transformative role of integrated financial markets, describing them as “essential to Africa’s economic transformation”.
He added that the project reflects the Bank’s commitment to advancing regional integration through practical, high-impact investments.
“This initiative will help strengthen both the infrastructure and regulatory foundations needed to mobilise domestic capital, deepen regional markets, and support greater economic resilience,” he said.
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