Imbono and University of Cape Town Partner to Advance Future-Ready Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa
15 oct 2026 - 08:30
Imbono, an operational platform focused on infrastructure and critical logistics across emerging markets, the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Abu Dhabi University (ADU), have signed a three-year academic partnership to develop a framework for assessing and improving the resilience of infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Infrastructure development is essential to long-term economic growth in Africa with an estimated US$181bn to US$221bn required annually just to meet current demand. Existing infrastructure requires operational expenditure and local capacity to ensure it remains fully operational, as reports state that only about 27% of African roads are paved, and more that 600 million people lack access to electricity.
This partnership aims to tackle the US$10.2 to US$11.4 billion needed annually to recover infrastructure losses in Africa, working over three years to advance understanding of infrastructure resilience and support more informed, long-term investment decisions across sub-Saharan Africa.
By bringing together UCT and ADU’s academic expertise with Imbono’s experience in delivering and operating infrastructure across emerging markets, the work will focus on developing a Unified Resilience Index and decision-support platform. These tools will help assess performance, identify risks and opportunities, and evaluate potential interventions.
The research will cover infrastructure across energy, water, food and social sectors, with the methodology designed to reflect the different economic, environmental and operating conditions found across Sub-Saharan Africa. It will provide a consistent, data-driven approach to assessing factors that influence the long-term performance and resilience of infrastructure projects.
Imbono CEO Marcus Weyll said, “This research partnership will be at the cutting edge of infrastructure monitoring and design and will advance the conversation to ensure projects are future ready. Durability is fundamental to long-term performance, particularly in markets where operating conditions can vary significantly. It brings together UCT’s academic expertise and Imbono’s experience on the ground to develop a practical, evidence-based approach to measuring and improving resilience.”
The partnership will also support knowledge development and capacity building in Africa, including the sponsorship of two PhD students whose research will contribute to the broader objectives of the initiative.
UCT research director Kathy Michell noted, “Infrastructure development and reliability have been a chronic challenge across Africa. This joint research project will allow for the development of a tool that can highlight key infrastructure challenges, potentially resulting in the formulation of long-term solutions”.
By combining academic research with real-world infrastructure experience, the partnership aims to contribute to a more data-driven approach to decision-making and long-term value creation across the region.
Data Sources: African Development Bank Group, 2024; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2025
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About Imbono
Launched in February 2026, Imbono is an emerging markets operational platform delivering essential infrastructure, goods, and services. Imbono brings together local expertise and a strong track record of execution, with a commitment to project completion and durable, long-term impact.
Part of Gemcorp and headquartered in the UAE, supported by regional hubs across Africa and the Middle East, Imbono builds, operates, and maintains national strategic projects while also sourcing essential goods and services for communities in emerging markets. Its ambition is to transform the lives of more than one hundred million people by 2040.
About the University of Cape Town
The vision and strategy of the Sustainability ⊕riented Cyber research Unit for the Built Environment (S⊕CUBE) is to undertake research that aids in the transformation of the built environment by integrating sustainable development with cutting-edge cyber technologies, empowers future professionals and fosters global collaboration for smart, resilient infrastructure through interdisciplinary research, education and industry partnerships.
The Urban Real Estate Research Unit (URERU) is a unique interdisciplinary research platform for academia and industry that promotes the identification of issues and seeks solutions to urban real estate investment, finance, economics, management, and sustainability problems in Africa.
About Abu Dhabi University
Abu Dhabi University (ADU) is one of the region’s leading academic institutions, translating the UAE Government’s National Agenda to deliver internationally accredited academic programs and world-class research. Established in 2003, with campuses across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai, the University serves over 10,000 students from over 100 nationalities. The University is home to five colleges across different disciplines including arts, education, social sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and law, while offering a diverse range of over 65 undergraduate and graduate programs.
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Contact
Imbono
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Chris Marais
Head of Communications, Middle East & Asia
Iury Rodrigues
Head of Communications, Africa & Latin America
University of Cape Town
Professor Kathy Michell
Director
Dr Saul Nurick
Director
Abu Dhabi University
Professor Rahaf Ajaj
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