Over 200 global leaders in housing finance, investment, and policy will convene in Nairobi next week for the 41st African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) Annual Conference, a premier gathering focused on unlocking capital for affordable housing through blended finance.
The two-day conference, to be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, will center on the theme “Blended Finance for Affordable Housing.” The forum aims to explore how the strategic combination of public, private, and philanthropic capital can accelerate housing development across the continent.
A major highlight of the event will be the launch of the Playbook for Blended Finance in Affordable Housing in Africa, a comprehensive guide developed by Convergence and the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF), with support from IDRC and Standard Bank. The Playbook provides frameworks, tools, and real-world case studies to help structure effective blended finance transactions in the housing sector.
“Blended finance is most powerful when catalytic capital bridges the gap between what affordable housing projects require and what private investors demand,” said Joan Larrea, CEO of Convergence, who will deliver the conference’s keynote address.
AUHF Chairman Kehinde Ogundimu emphasized the urgency of innovative financial solutions in addressing Africa’s housing challenges.
“The deficit is not only about the number of homes but about affordability and that is fundamentally a finance problem,” he said. “Blended finance helps de-risk the sector and attract the private capital needed to scale solutions.”
From Kenya’s perspective, Johnstone Oltetia, AUHF Treasurer and CEO of the Kenya Mortgage Refinance Company (KMRC), noted that partnerships combining concessional and commercial funding have already enabled single-digit mortgage rates in Kenya.
“The next challenge is scaling this model across the continent,” he added.
CAHF Executive Director Kecia Rust underscored that finance innovations must go hand in hand with systemic improvements.
“Blended finance alone isn’t enough — we must strengthen the entire ecosystem, from land and infrastructure to construction and end-user financing,” she said.
The conference will feature thought leaders including Shelter Afrique CEO Thierno Habib Hann, and will spotlight successful case studies from Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria. Key sessions will cover green housing, affordable mortgage development, and carbon credit financing.
Alongside the conference, AUHF will hold its 41st Annual General Meeting, a Master Class on Blended Finance, and site visits to affordable housing projects around Nairobi.
Representing 52 housing finance institutions across Africa, AUHF continues to be at the forefront of shaping the continent’s housing finance agenda with this year’s event expected to set the tone for a new era of investment-driven housing solutions.
source: Allafrica
