Norway reaffirmed its long-standing support for Africa’s low-income countries by pledging NOK 3.1 billion to the African Development Fund’s seventeenth replenishment. The announcement was first made during the Global Citizen Now: Johannesburg event and later reinforced in a meeting between Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and African Development Bank Group President Dr Sidi Ould Tah.
The pledge includes NOK 2,377 million as a core contribution to ADF-17, marking a 5.79 percent increase from the previous cycle. Norway also committed NOK 150 million to the Fund’s Climate Action Window, following an earlier NOK 50 million contribution made in 2025.
Dr Sidi Ould Tah welcomed Norway’s renewed support, emphasizing their shared priorities of youth empowerment, sustainable growth, and strong partnerships. He noted that Norway’s contribution will help strengthen the Fund’s impact at a crucial time for vulnerable African economies.
Norway has supported every replenishment of the African Development Fund since 1973 and continues to emphasize predictable core funding. The Norwegian government stated that this contribution reflects its commitment to improving access to basic services such as food, electricity, water, sanitation, health care, education, and employment for people living in fragile contexts.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre highlighted that all nations share a responsibility to build a more peaceful and equitable world, stressing that the funding will directly improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities.
The contribution aligns with Norway’s 2024 Africa engagement strategy and acknowledges the Fund’s role in major initiatives, including Mission 300, which seeks to expand electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
The African Development Fund serves as the concessional financing arm of the African Development Bank Group, supporting 37 low-income countries through grants, concessional loans, and guarantees. Its investments span energy, transport, agriculture, regional integration, and governance.
The seventeenth replenishment of the Fund will be finalized during a pledging session in London from 15 to 16 December 2025, when development partners confirm their contributions.
