From Concept to Capital: Designing Smarter and Simpler Blended Finance Funds for Africa with Aly-Khan Jamal

Episode 181 with Aly-Khan Jamal, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Lagos, and co-author of the landmark report Scaling Blended Finance: Practical Tools for Blended Finance Fund Design.Aly-Khan Jamal brings deep expertise in development finance, capital mobilisation, and impact investing to this conversation on how blended finance can be a game-changer for Africa’s sustainable development and climate resilience. In this episode, he breaks down the practical tools outlined in the new joint report by BCG and British International Investment (BII), including a typology of five fund archetypes and a scorecard for fund design.Aly-Khan shares why scaling blended finance is not just a technical exercise but a systemic challenge, and opportunity. He explains how smart fund structuring can unlock commercial capital for high-impact sectors like clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, and infrastructure, particularly in emerging and underserved African markets.What We Discuss With Aly-KhanWhy blended finance is a critical tool for unlocking private capital to meet Africa’s development and climate goals, and why it remains underutilised.The systemic challenges that prevent blended finance from scaling and how to overcome them through more strategic fund design.How the new BII–BCG toolkit provides a shared language for fund managers, investors, and donors through five archetypes and a structured scorecard.How to design blended finance funds that are simpler, more replicable, and better aligned with investor expectations.Real-world examples from Africa and beyond that show how blended finance can mobilise billions for development when deployed effectively.New Segment - Verto CornerIn this episode’s Verto Corner, Jack Stanton, a trader at Verto, unpacks the rising volatility in global FX markets and its implications for African businesses engaged in cross-border trade. With central banks diverging on policy and geopolitical uncertainty heightening exchange rate swings, Jack explains why managing foreign exchange risk is more critical than ever. He offers actionable insights on how businesses in markets like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa can hedge against FX exposure, protect their margins, and make smarter currency decisions. Don’t miss his top advice and access to Verto’s FX Strategy Handbook for businesses navigating global payments in a turbulent economic climate. Access the Strategy HandbookDid you miss my previous episode where I discus Bridging Finance and Sustainability: How International Finance Can Support Sustainable Infrastructure in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Aly-Khan:LinkedIn - Aly-Khan JamalTwitter - @BCGMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:[email protected]