The African Union Housing Forum (AUHF) and the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (CAHF) have convened a joint conference in Benin to explore how blended finance can accelerate affordable housing development across Francophone Africa.

The conference, themed “Blended Finance to Promote Affordable Housing in Francophone Africa”, brings together governments, private investors, and development finance institutions (DFIs) to discuss strategies for mobilising investment in the continent’s housing sector.

Blended finance, which combines concessional funding with commercial capital, has emerged as a key tool for financing development projects in social sectors. However, its application in housing remains limited.

According to CAHF, one of the main challenges in affordable housing financing is the complexity of local markets. “Risks are often poorly understood or mispriced, and returns can be long-term and uncertain,” the organisation noted.

“Limited data and a shortage of pipeline-ready projects discourage private investment, while misaligned policies reduce the effectiveness of public and philanthropic capital in de-risking deals.”

The report highlights the need for coordination across sectors such as land, infrastructure, and finance, noting that informality in housing markets is often not accommodated in investors’ expectations.

In response to these challenges, CAHF, in partnership with Convergence, has developed a blended finance playbook tailored for Africa’s affordable housing sector. The report, which is available in both English and French, provides a structured framework for setting objectives, addressing market preconditions, and designing financing solutions that balance financial sustainability with development impact.

The playbook includes practical case studies showing how concessional capital can be deployed to mobilise private investment and advance pipeline-ready housing projects.

“The Benin conference provides an essential platform to translate these insights into practical actions for Francophone markets,” CAHF said. “It allows stakeholders to discuss how blended finance mechanisms can be adapted, structured, and scaled to close Africa’s housing gap.”

The event is expected to foster dialogue among policymakers, investors, and housing developers, focusing on innovative solutions to the continent’s housing challenges. Participants will explore opportunities for public-private collaboration, institutional innovation, and improved data collection to attract investment.

CAHF also reflected on its ten-year impact in Africa’s housing sector, emphasising the need for continued engagement to develop functional residential property markets.

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