RESOURCES/FEATURED STORIES

Scaling Digital Access: How PPIAF Enabled Private Investment Across Six Countries

30 May 2025
The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) provided catalytic technical assistance to governments across Eastern Africa to bridge the digital divide and bring affordable internet to underserved communities.Delivered in close coordination with the World Bank’s Digital Development Global Practice, the support helped address investment barriers and shape the design of more than US$1.2 billion in digital infrastructure projects—with a particular focus on last-mile connectivity in rural and low-income areas. How PPIAF Helped De-Risk Private InvestmentPPIAF’s technical

The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) provided catalytic technical assistance to governments across Eastern Africa to bridge the digital divide and bring affordable internet to underserved communities.

Delivered in close coordination with the World Bank’s Digital Development Global Practice, the support helped address investment barriers and shape the design of more than US$1.2 billion in digital infrastructure projects—with a particular focus on last-mile connectivity in rural and low-income areas.
 

How PPIAF Helped De-Risk Private Investment

PPIAF’s technical assistance aimed to strengthen the enabling environment for private sector participation in digital infrastructure. It tackled both supply- and demand-side constraints through a comprehensive package of support:
 

  • Analytical Frameworks for Investment Structuring: Assessed the viability of public-private models—including blended finance and co-investment approaches—for use in projects such as KDEAP (Kenya), EARDIP (regional), and DECIM (Madagascar).
  • Design of Competitive Subsidy Mechanisms: Developed operational frameworks for implementing Multi-Round Reverse Auctions (MRRAs), improving price discovery and value for money in public subsidy allocation.
  • Safeguards, Risk Mitigation, and Regulatory Tools: Prepared standardized procurement templates and safeguards instruments aligned with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) while promoting competition, technology neutrality, and anchor tenant models to boost project bankability.
  • Capacity Building and Operationalization Support: Delivered targeted training on MRRA implementation, Commercial Transaction Manuals (CTMs), and electronic auction platforms, backed by just-in-time advisory support tailored to project needs.
Turning Strategy into Impact

The PPIAF-funded work led to tangible outcomes across multiple fronts:

  • Integrated into Major World Bank Operations: Findings and frameworks are embedded in over US$1.2 billion in IDA-financed digital infrastructure projects, including KDEAP, EARDIP, and DECIM.
  • Enhanced Private Capital Mobilization (PCM): Validated matching investment models that strategically deploy public funds to unlock commercial finance—now central to the Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) agenda.
  • Greater Efficiency in Subsidy Use: Adopting the MRRA is expected to reduce unit subsidy costs, enhance competition, and increase transparency by learning from successful practices in countries like India and the U.S.
  • Strengthened Inclusion and Market Governance: Embedded risk mitigation and inclusion tools such as disaggregated beneficiary tracking, gender and disability-responsive design, and digital skills programs targeting marginalized groups.
Scalable Solutions with Regional Reach
  • Replication Potential and Knowledge Transfer: Templates, policy guidance, and auction mechanisms developed under PPIAF are being adapted for use in other Sub-Saharan African countries. These tools are recognized as scalable models for digital infrastructure financing.
Advancing DE4A and PPIAF’s Mission

This technical assistance exemplifies PPIAF’s role in enabling private sector participation through upstream, market-enabling reforms. By aligning with World Bank operations and regional strategies like DE4A and IDEA-MPA, PPIAF is helping countries expand digital access, improve economic resilience, and build inclusive digital economies across Eastern Africa.