ACTIF2026 Signals Opportunity – But Caribbean Projects Face A Qualification Gap

By NAN Business Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 24, 2026: The upcoming AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2026) is being positioned as a key platform to deepen trade and investment ties between Africa and the Caribbean – but a persistent challenge remains: project readiness.

Afreximbank has signed a hosting agreement with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for the fifth edition of the forum, scheduled for July 29–31, 2026 in Basseterre. The event is expected to bring together governments, investors, development finance institutions, and private sector leaders from across both regions.

ACTIF has emerged as a leading platform for mobilizing capital and advancing Africa–Caribbean economic cooperation. The 2025 edition resulted in five Caribbean deals totaling approximately US$291 million, while Afreximbank has approved more than US$700 million in financing across CARICOM markets in recent years.

The 2026 forum is expected to focus on identifying priority projects and accelerating execution across sectors including infrastructure, tourism, energy, and trade.

But while opportunity is expanding, access to capital is not automatic. Across the Caribbean, many projects continue to face challenges in securing financing – not due to lack of investor interest, but due to gaps in structure, financial clarity, and overall investment readiness.

Invest Caribbean CEO Felicia J. Persaud noted that “the challenge is not just access to capital – it is qualification.”

Many otherwise promising projects fail to secure funding due to gaps in financial clarity, collateral structures, and execution planning, she added.

Still others struggle to understand the differences between debt and equity financing, or the stages of capital – from pre-seed to Series A – often approaching investors without the level of structure or documentation required to support multi-million-dollar raises.

To put that into perspective, institutional lenders like Afreximbank require far more than an idea or concept. Financing consideration typically depends on a fully developed project package – including feasibility studies, ownership and governance structures, land title and regulatory approvals, detailed financial models, and clearly defined debt and equity frameworks.

Projects must also demonstrate market demand, operational readiness, environmental compliance, and realistic revenue projections backed by data.

As global institutions like Afreximbank expand their footprint in the region, the demand for bankable, well-structured projects is increasing – but the supply of investment-ready opportunities remains limited. Without that alignment, opportunities risk remaining announcements rather than funded deals, Persaud said.

ACTIF2026 is expected to play a critical role in strengthening Africa–Caribbean partnerships and advancing the concept of “Global Africa,” but translating interest into actual investment will depend heavily on the quality and readiness of projects presented.

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