Over the past several months, the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) has undergone a period of intense reassessment and rapid execution. Across its investment companies, technical assistance units, and impact teams, the Group has worked to sustain project origination, protect existing pipelines, and respond decisively to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What emerged from this period was not a pause in activity, but a reconfiguration of priorities — combining crisis response with the continued delivery of long-term infrastructure development in some of the world’s most complex markets.
Rapid Mobilisation at Group Level
Early in the pandemic, PIDG activated a cross-group task force that brought together senior leadership from its investment companies, technical assistance platform, and development impact function. The mandate was clear: assess the immediate risks, identify where PIDG could act most effectively, and coordinate a response that avoided duplication, delay, or administrative drag.
Rather than adopting a purely defensive posture, the Group chose to work directly through its existing portfolio — supporting investee companies, project workers, and surrounding communities. At the same time, a systematic review was launched to understand how the crisis might reshape investment risks and open new avenues for intervention.
As part of this initial phase, PIDG Technical Assistance redirected approximately US$1.5 million to targeted health and safety initiatives. The approach prioritised speed, local execution, and minimal overheads, leveraging established partnerships on the ground to ensure funds translated into tangible outcomes.
InfraCo Africa: From Risk Mitigation to Recovery Planning
Within InfraCo Africa, the response focused on close engagement with project teams operating across multiple countries. The immediate objective was to identify actions that would reduce health risks, maintain operational continuity, and stabilise projects under unprecedented constraints.
This dual focus — safeguarding people while preserving long-term project viability — reflected InfraCo Africa’s broader mandate. By keeping teams active and projects progressing, the organisation aimed to protect future development impact rather than deferring it.
Health, Water, Power: Delivery at Community Level
In a matter of weeks, PIDG-supported initiatives were rolled out across Chad, Zambia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Uganda, and Ethiopia. These included the installation of handwashing and safe water facilities, electrification of rural health clinics, delivery of personal protective equipment, and large-scale public health awareness campaigns.
Execution was led by local partners, allowing many interventions to reach communities ahead of the anticipated peak of infections in parts of Africa. Early implementation proved critical, particularly in remote areas with limited healthcare capacity.
Measuring Collective Impact
When assessed at group level, the scale of PIDG’s coordinated response becomes more apparent. In just over three months, PIDG Technical Assistance supported 23 initiatives across 19 countries, with direct reach extending beyond 250,000 people.
These efforts enabled tens of thousands of workers to remain employed through improved safety protocols. Public health campaigns reached nearly 100,000 people, countering misinformation and reinforcing prevention measures. New hygiene infrastructure expanded access to handwashing for thousands more. Meanwhile, healthcare systems benefited from targeted support to clinics and hospitals — improving readiness not only for COVID-19, but for broader community health needs.
Beyond Crisis Response: Infrastructure as Recovery Engine
While emergency interventions were necessary, PIDG maintained a parallel focus on sustaining investment momentum. As African economies transition from crisis management toward recovery, infrastructure remains central to restoring trade, mobility, and investor confidence.
InfraCo Africa continued to advance key projects, including new commitments to the Liberia Inland Storage Facility and additional funding for the Bumbuna Hydro II project in Sierra Leone. Procurement processes moved forward despite travel restrictions, and construction activity was adapted to evolving health guidelines.
At the same time, preparations were made for new initiatives, including early investments through a dedicated equity vehicle designed to support innovation-led infrastructure.
Infrastructure in a Changed Context
The pandemic underscored the foundational role of infrastructure — not only in healthcare delivery, but in logistics, energy access, and social cohesion. For PIDG, the past months demonstrated the value of coordinated action across investment, technical assistance, and impact measurement.
By combining agility with long-term discipline, the Group positioned itself to address immediate challenges while continuing to build bankable projects capable of attracting private capital into high-need markets. In this context, infrastructure development has not been delayed by crisis; it has become more essential than ever.
