The World Bank Group says it mobilised a record $112 billion in private capital during fiscal year 2026, more than triple the $35 billion it recorded just four years earlier. Combined with the institution’s own lending, total financing directed toward developing economies exceeded $200 billion for the year — a milestone the Bank is pointing to as evidence of a shifting funding model.
Africa featured prominently in the numbers, with private capital mobilisation on the continent climbing from roughly $9 billion in fiscal year 2022 to about $22 billion in fiscal year 2026 — a gain of nearly 150%. Loan guarantees issued by the Bank also surpassed $25 billion, beating a 2030 target four years ahead of schedule.
World Bank President Ajay Banga said donor government budgets alone cannot meet the scale of development financing needs, arguing that private capital must increasingly help fund infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, and job creation across developing economies — a message that reflects a broader shift in how multilateral institutions are approaching development finance heading into the back half of the decade.
