Qatari Billionaires Pour Billions into Ethiopia and DR Congo — Kenya Not Included

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:02]Africa is increasingly becoming an infrastructure investment destination for the world's wealthy.

[00:00:10]The infrastructure deficit on this continent is massive and for long financing has been a challenge. As I stand here, 25% of the world's population will be living in the African continent by 2050.

[00:00:27]This alone [music] means that massive infrastructure investment is required in Africa to meet the needs of that increasing population. But as I mentioned, financing of this massive infrastructure is a challenge.

[00:00:43]We have a serious paradox.

[00:00:45]A continent that has huge resources that will have the world's largest population, 25% of the world's population in by 2050, today cannot access concessional funding to drive its development.

[00:01:06]So, a powerful Qatar billionaire family understands that challenge. Now, this wealthy family is moving billions into Africa's biggest infrastructure opportunities right now.

[00:01:20]Let's agree, Africa is in dire need of infrastructure investments and UAE, Europe, USA, >> [music] >> China, and other developed countries are deploying their capital here to fill up the gap. All this is happening at a point African countries are still discussing how they can finance their own infrastructure development. This confirms that the continent needs infrastructure financing so seriously.

[00:01:51]So, this Qatar billionaire family is responding to that by deploying capital to meet the African financing needs.

[00:02:01]But, the surprising part is this, the money is going into Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya is not part of this deal cycle that I'll be talking about. So, what is actually happening?

[00:02:17]JKIA expansion and modernization, Nairobi to Mombasa Highway, and many other infrastructure >> [music] >> in Kenya need serious funding. This family delivered over 40 infrastructure projects for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

[00:02:35]They delivered several stadiums, luxury hotels, and artificial island entertainment districts. This is the Al Khayyat family from Qatar.

[00:02:46]Through their powerful International Holding and UCC Holding, is pursuing major infrastructure projects in Africa right [music] now.

[00:02:56]Two stand out.

[00:02:59]A massive airport project in Ethiopia.

[00:03:02]This is Bishoftu. I talked about this 12.5 billion US dollars massive airport.

[00:03:09]This project is pursuing blended financing and needs more investors. So, this billionaire family has seen an investment opportunity here. In addition, Bloomberg reports that they are also targeting [music] a 400 km road project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[00:03:30]These are not small investments. We are talking about multi-billion dollar infrastructure plays.

[00:03:37]Before I proceed, let me ask the bigger question. Why do you think Africa can finance its [music] development agenda independently? People online and offline continuously say we should fund our own projects for our sovereignty. But when you look at your country's balance sheets, reflect on unemployment, key sectors are underperforming.

[00:04:03]So when you see that, you then realize Africa's development is pegged on foreign direct investments.

[00:04:11]Private capital from UAE, China, Europe, USA, Japan, or generally developed nations will be the driver of Africa's development. Their involvement in Africa's economic development will see them share technical expertise, deploy financing, and technology. The continent wants highways, railways, airports, and many other infrastructure investments.

[00:04:40]Those with the capital, they will invest. So Africa should choose interdependence and strategic partnerships for this capital to result in mutual benefit. Now, let's talk about Ethiopia a little bit more. The airport under construction in Ethiopia is designed to massively expand aviation capacity in the country. The target capacity of over 100 million passengers annually in the long run.

[00:05:10]Given this logic, Ethiopia wants to become a major aviation hub for Africa.

[00:05:16]Its location already makes it a natural transit point between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. So this airport is attracting attention from various investors because here they are guaranteed of their returns.

[00:05:33]Now, let's talk about the DRC Congo.

[00:05:36]Here, they want to do a 400 km road.

[00:05:41]This might sound ordinary, but in DRC context, it is extremely strategic because the country is sitting on some of the world's most important minerals.

[00:05:52]We've got cobalt, copper, and other critical resources used in global energy and technology supply chains.

[00:06:01]The problem has always been infrastructure.

[00:06:04]So, building roads here unlocks export routes for global industries. This makes it viable to invest here. Now, step back. Look at where the money is going.

[00:06:17]Ethiopia, you know, the money is going to aviation hub ambition.

[00:06:23]In DRC, Congo, the money is going to resource corridor infrastructure.

[00:06:30]These are strategic investments and such a wealthy family can pour billions into these projects knowing return on investment is guaranteed. Now, shift attention to the Kenyan context. In this specific Bloomberg reported investment package, Kenya is not mentioned. Now, I thought they would quickly express interest in Kenya considering the massive need for infrastructure financing in this country.

[00:07:01]However, Kenya still remains a major East African economy with a strong infrastructure such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Port of Mombasa, standard gauge railway network. This infrastructure, though, needs massive investments for expansion and modernization.

[00:07:23]When you look at SGR, it is being extended, but details around financing haven't been made public. Again, there is talk around electrification. No lie, this infrastructure needs investors, but this particular wave of Gulf linked infrastructure investment is focused elsewhere in the region.

[00:07:46]You've seen Qatar Airways investing in Rwanda.

[00:07:50]Now this family is omitting Kenya.

[00:07:53]Something that should disturb us to some extent, but understand this. This kind of capital deployment should inform you.

[00:08:02]There is competition for infrastructure financing in Africa.

[00:08:06]So it's not guaranteed that one can just win the hearts of these investors. They have a plethora of options.

[00:08:14]Let me say this. Gulf investors are increasingly targeting infrastructure such as airports, roads, ports, [music] logistics corridors.

[00:08:24]Because these assets don't just generate returns.

[00:08:28]They control trade flow for decades. So what we are seeing here is not random investment. These investors are strategically positioning across Africa's future trade routes.

[00:08:41]Now the concern shouldn't be Ethiopia and DR Congo have been chosen. Why not Kenya? But the concern is which African economies will attract the next wave of Gulf infrastructure capital as this competition expands. Because for me I see this just as the beginning. Gulf investors want a stake in Africa as Western countries face serious competition from China. So where are African dollar billionaires apart from Aliko Dangote? We need to see them invest otherwise foreign capital will take over the African infrastructure and where will an African have control?