Large Infrastructure

This report describes the 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario, a model designed to analyze the impact of increased infrastructure investment on Africa's development through 2050. The scenario emphasizes the synergy between large-scale renewable energy, off-grid solutions, and ICT to drive economic transformation and human welfare.

• The 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario models the impact of enhanced infrastructure investment on Africa's development through 2050, with policy interventions starting in 2027, a ten-year implementation phase until 2036, and consolidation of gains through 2050.
• Large-scale infrastructure and leapfrogging are viewed as mutually reinforcing, specifically where large-scale renewable energy is paired with micro-grid and off-grid solutions to improve electricity access. When combined with information and communication technologies (ICT), these factors help formalize the informal economy and reduce barriers for private capital.
• The scenario's design is based on country-level assessments and benchmarking against developing regions that have seen similar progress, specifically South America and South Asia.
• The International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform categorizes infrastructure into three types: traditional (including water, roads, electricity, sanitation, and wastewater), ICT (including mobile phones and fixed/mobile broadband), and 'other infrastructure' (such as railways, airports, and ports). The model accounts for public and private spending on core infrastructure and public spending on other infrastructure, but excludes infrastructure funded via public-private partnerships.

APA

Yeboua, K. (2026). Large Infrastructure. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=11-large-infrastructure&topic=09-infrastructure-leapfrogging-scenario

Chicago

Yeboua, Kouassi. Large Infrastructure. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=11-large-infrastructure&topic=09-infrastructure-leapfrogging-scenario.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yeboua |first1=Kouassi |title=Large Infrastructure |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=25 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=11-large-infrastructure&topic=09-infrastructure-leapfrogging-scenario |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yeboua2026large, author = {Yeboua, Kouassi}, title = {{Large Infrastructure}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=11-large-infrastructure&topic=09-infrastructure-leapfrogging-scenario}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }