KIGALI, Rwanda — The Carbon Market Africa Summit (CMAS) 2026 has concluded in Kigali with renewed efforts to attract investment into Africa’s carbon markets, strengthen environmental integrity, and ensure that local communities benefit from climate finance.
Held from October 13 to 15 at the Kigali Convention Centre, the summit brought together government officials, investors, project developers, carbon credit buyers, and technical experts to explore practical solutions for developing credible carbon projects across the continent.
Over three days, participants discussed how African countries can turn their natural resources and climate initiatives into investment opportunities while ensuring that carbon markets contribute to sustainable development and community livelihoods.
New Fund Targets US$100 Million for Nature-Based Projects
One of the summit’s major announcements was the launch of the Africa Nature Impact Fund, an initiative by Finance Earth, FSD Africa, and FSD Africa Investments.
The fund aims to mobilise US$100 million for early-stage nature conservation and nature-based carbon projects across Africa. It has secured a £5 million cornerstone commitment from FSD Africa Investments and is seeking an initial US$20 million close in 2027.
The initiative seeks to address a major obstacle facing carbon project developers: securing funding to prepare and develop projects before they generate revenue from carbon credit sales.
Through improved access to early-stage financing, the initiative is expected to help promising projects become investment-ready and attract further funding.
During the summit, investor roundtables, project showcases, and dedicated deal rooms also provided opportunities for African project developers to connect with potential financiers and carbon credit buyers.
Discussions covered a range of sectors, including blue carbon, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, rangeland restoration, and waste management.
Participants examined carbon credit pricing, buyer expectations, long-term purchase agreements, and the financial requirements for bringing projects to market.
Rwanda Explores New Ways to Finance Carbon Projects
Rwanda used the summit to highlight its efforts to strengthen carbon finance and develop innovative approaches to funding climate-related projects.
The country’s Minister of Environment, Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, outlined an approach Rwanda is exploring to channel a share of carbon transaction proceeds through the Rwanda Green Fund to support the preparation and pre-financing of future projects.
The proposed approach seeks to address financing gaps that often prevent projects from progressing beyond the early development stages.
Technical workshops and discussions also examined carbon project authorisations, evolving international requirements, risk-sharing mechanisms, registry interoperability, and the development of local verification capacity.
Participants further explored how digital technologies can improve the monitoring, reporting, and assessment of carbon projects, helping strengthen transparency and confidence in the market.
Kigali International Financial Centre Launches Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2.0
Another major development took place on October 15, when the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) launched Rwanda’s Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2.0.
The roadmap establishes priorities through 2030, focusing on preparing businesses and projects to attract investment, strengthening carbon finance, and improving the availability and quality of sustainability data.
KIFC Chief Executive Officer Hortense Mudenge highlighted the potential of sustainable finance to support business growth, create employment opportunities, and strengthen Rwanda’s economic resilience.
She also outlined Rwanda’s ambition to position Kigali as a regional centre for carbon aggregation and investment structuring, helping connect African carbon projects with international capital.
The roadmap forms part of Rwanda’s broader efforts to strengthen its sustainable finance ecosystem and attract investment into projects that support environmental protection and economic development.
Environmental Integrity and Community Benefits Take Centre Stage
Beyond financing, the summit placed strong emphasis on the credibility of carbon credits and the importance of ensuring that carbon projects deliver measurable environmental benefits.
Participants stressed that strong monitoring, independent verification, transparency, and accountability are essential for building trust in carbon markets.
Shikha Sharma, Global Technical Lead for Climate Solutions at SGS, the summit’s gold sponsor, said environmental integrity, credible projects, and meaningful benefits for local communities were essential to the success of carbon markets.
She emphasised that independent validation and verification help ensure carbon credits represent measurable climate action while strengthening confidence among investors and buyers.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of recognising communities as active participants in carbon markets, rather than simply beneficiaries of projects.
Speakers stressed that community rights, local participation, and fair benefit-sharing arrangements should be incorporated into projects from the earliest stages of development.
UNDP Calls for Action Beyond the Summit
During the closing session, Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, called for concrete action following the discussions in Kigali.
He emphasised the need to translate partnerships and investment discussions into well-prepared projects and actual transactions.
“The next step is to turn those connections into well-prepared projects and transactions, with community rights and fair benefit-sharing built in from the start,” Gomera said.
His remarks reflected a central message of the summit: Africa must move beyond discussions about the potential of carbon markets and focus on developing projects capable of attracting investment while delivering tangible benefits to people and the environment.
Africa Seeks a Stronger Position in Global Carbon Markets
For VUKA Group, the summit’s organiser, the discussions in Kigali marked an important step towards strengthening Africa’s position in the global carbon market.
Emmanuelle Nicholls, Portfolio Director at VUKA Group, said the ambition was to develop carbon markets that finance Africa’s priorities and create lasting value for its people.
She added that the next summit would build on the partnerships established in Kigali and focus on helping more African projects secure the investment and collaborations needed to grow.
CMAS 2026 was hosted by Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Development Bank serving as host organisations. The Development Bank of Southern Africa was the host partner, while AUDA-NEPAD served as the strategic institutional partner.
As Africa continues to explore opportunities in global carbon markets, the outcomes of the Kigali summit underscore the importance of combining investment, credible environmental standards, and community participation.
The challenge now is to turn these commitments into bankable projects, stronger partnerships, and carbon market initiatives that support climate action while delivering lasting economic and social benefits across the continent.
@Rebero.rw
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