The World Bank Group has officially joined the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa as co-chair, marking a significant expansion of a pan-African initiative aimed at bringing digital access to 100 million individuals and businesses by 2034.
The World Bank now sits alongside founding co-chairs the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Mastercard in spearheading a coalition that aims to unlock inclusive digital transformation across the continent, particularly in agriculture.
A Strategic Trifecta for Digital Access
The MADE Alliance was launched in May 2024 to coordinate efforts around secure, affordable and high-quality broadband, interoperable services and digital financial tools tailored to underserved communities.
The entry of the World Bank significantly strengthens the alliance’s institutional firepower, offering data-driven insights, strategic financing and policy expertise.
“The World Bank Group is deeply committed to expanding inclusive digital access across Africa,” said Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital at the World Bank. “By bringing together our global knowledge and local experience, we can help scale lasting, transformational impact.”
Agriculture at the Core
The alliance has placed agriculture at the centre of its first wave of interventions. World Bank-supported “Digital Agriculture Roadmaps” structured country-level plans will guide national implementation and ensure that digital adoption meets real sectoral needs.
“Two of the African Development Bank’s priority areas are to Feed Africa and Improve the Quality of Life for People of Africa,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, AfDB’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.
“The MADE Alliance connects smallholder farmers to digital services that improve productivity, incomes, and market access.”
The AfDB has already committed $300 million to the Alliance’s first five years.
Early Results: From Tanzania to Kenya
Since launch, the Alliance has made headway across East Africa:
- Tanzania: 50,000 sunflower farmers are being onboarded with digital payment tools.
- Kenya: High-speed internet and digital skills training have reached 10,000 farmers via 13 cooperatives.
- Kenya National Farmers’ Federation: Backed by AfDB, is training 250,000 farmers to become financially viable clients for lending institutions.
A Growing Coalition
The Alliance has attracted a robust network of partners including the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Microsoft, Heifer International, Shell Foundation, Syngenta Foundation (Kenya and Nigeria) and local banks such as Tanzania’s CRDB and Equity Bank Group.
Tara Nathan, Executive Vice President at Mastercard and Founder of Community Pass, emphasized the power of collaboration:
“The World Bank brings enormous expertise in digital transformation and agriculture… Together, we’re aligning resources to scale impact efficiently.”
As digital transformation becomes a cornerstone of development policy across the continent, the MADE Alliance: Africa stands as a model for systemic cooperation between governments, financial institutions, and the private sector.
With early momentum already visible and institutional weight growing, the Alliance is shaping up to be one of the most significant public-private vehicles driving digital inclusion in Africa’s next development chapter.
