Samaila Zubairu

Mr. Samaila Zubairu has championed African value capture, job creation, and industrialization, directing billions into transformative infrastructure over three decades. As President & CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) for seven years, he has doubled country membership, more than quadrupled investments, including the largest renewable energy acquisition on the continent, and more than tripled profits as of 2024 year-end.

Under his leadership, the AFC has received numerous accolades, including: Pan-African Champion at the 2024 Africa CEO Forum Awards; and DFI of the Year for Europe & Africa at the 2022 Infrastructure Journal Global Awards. Mr. Zubairu was recognized with Senegal’s highest national honour, “the Ordre National du Lion – Commandeur” by former President Macky Sall, for visionary leadership.

Mr. Zubairu is committed to fostering sustainable economic transformation in Africa through innovative financing, strategic partnerships, and impactful infrastructure projects. As the pioneer CFO for Dangote Cement Plc, he launched Africa’s largest syndicated project finance facility and managed the unbundling of Dangote Industries Limited. At AfriCapital Management Limited, he partnered with AIIM to develop the Nigerian Infrastructure Investment Fund 1.

Mr. Zubairu chairs the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), a platform that brings together Africa’s leading Multilateral Financial Institutions to advance the continent’s economic interests both within member states and on the global stage.

Mr. Zubairu also co-chairs the B20 South Africa Task Force on Finance & Infrastructure – responsible for developing business-driven, actionable policy recommendations to advance economic development for the G20.

His efforts in mobilizing clean energy investment have set global benchmarks for climate action in emerging markets. Mr. Zubairu co-chairs the World Economic Forum (WEF) Network to Mobilize Clean Energy Investment in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies. Under his stewardship, AFC has driven some of the continent’s most ambitious clean energy projects – including Xlinks – a platform aiming to generate 11.5 GW of zero-carbon electricity from solar and wind in Morocco; and Infinity Power – Africa’s largest pure play renewable energy provider focusing on utility-scale solar and on-shore wind technologies.

Mr. Zubairu is an Eisenhower Fellow and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Nigeria. He holds a BSc in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University.