NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING INSTITUTIONS

2026 theme for the World Association of PPP Units and Professionals (WAPPP)

What Are National Infrastructure Financing Institutions?

National Infrastructure Financing Institutions (NIFIs) are state-sponsored, nationally anchored entities established to mobilize and deploy long-term capital for infrastructure development. Designed to operate beyond annual budget cycles and ad-hoc project financing, NIFIs provide a permanent institutional platform for infrastructure finance.

They take multiple forms—including infrastructure development banks, national infrastructure funds, and hybrid bank–fund models—and deploy instruments such as long-term debt, guarantees, equity, and blended finance to improve project bankability and crowd in private investment.

Many countries face persistent infrastructure financing gaps driven by limited fiscal space, fragmented project pipelines, and underdeveloped domestic capital markets. Traditional approaches—reliant on annual budgets, one-off funds, or isolated PPP transactions—have struggled to mobilize capital at scale.

NIFIs address these constraints by acting as institutional intermediaries between government priorities, infrastructure pipelines, and capital markets. By de-risking projects and aligning public and private capital, they enable more predictable, scalable, and inclusive infrastructure investment while

The goal of WAPPP’s 2026 theme is to advance practical understanding of how National Infrastructure Financing Institutions can be designed, capitalized, and deployed to support sustainable infrastructure delivery.

The theme seeks to clarify the strategic rationale for NIFIs; compare institutional models, mandates, and governance arrangements; examine capitalization strategies and financing instruments; explore how NIFIs can de-risk PPP pipelines and support local enterprises; and translate global experience into actionable policy guidance through webinars, policy briefs, and a flagship publication.

The theme aims to:
● Clarify the strategic rationale for NIFIs and the institutional gaps they address
● Compare institutional models, mandates, and governance arrangements
● Examine capitalization strategies and financing instruments
● Explore how NIFIs can de-risk PPP pipelines and support local enterprises
● Translate global experience into actionable policy guidance

Webinar Schedule

Jan

Thursday 29th

Webinar 1 – Foundations: Why National Infrastructure Financing Institutions Matter

Register

Feb

Thursday 26th

Webinar 2 – NIFIs in Practice: Models, Mandates, and Trade-offs

Mar

Thursday 26th

Webinar 3 – Building the Institution: Design, Governance & Capitalization

Apr

Thursday 30th

Webinar 4 – De-risking for Impact: Instruments and Blended Finance Tools

May

Thursday 28th

Webinar 5 – Thematic Focus: Housing Finance Institutions and Affordable Housing PPPs

Jun

Thursday 25th

Webinar 6 – Local Participation: Enabling SMEs and Domestic Enterprises

Sep

Thursday 30th

Webinar 7 – Integrating the Ecosystem: NIFIs, PPP Units, and DFIs

Oct

All webinars are scheduled for the last Thursday of each month, commencing on 29 January 2026.

Useful links

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Blogs

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Policy Briefs

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