The Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice (NCA-COP), launched in 2020 and now comprising more than 500 members from 48 African countries.
The African Development Bank Group has officially announced that it will host the Secretariat of the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice (Africa NCA-CoP), strengthening its leadership role in integrating natural capital into climate-resilient development strategies across the continent.
As the new host, the Bank Group will provide premises for the Secretariat at its Abidjan headquarters, review and implement the Africa NCA CoP strategy and action plan in line with the Bank Group priority for natural resources value addition and work with partners including the World Bank, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union to mobilize resources to scale up activities across the continent. The NCA-COP, launched in 2020 and now comprising more than 500 members from 48 African countries, promotes technical capacity building, data-driven policymaking, and knowledge sharing on natural capital accounting. It was previously hosted by the World Bank.
The Bank announced the development during a side event at the recently concluded Africa Climate Summit 2.0 in Addis Ababa that brought together policymakers, development partners, and practitioners to discuss the importance of mainstreaming natural capital into national policies, economic planning, and investment strategies.
Fred Kabanda, Manager of the Bank Group’s African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre, stressed the Bank’s commitment to natural capital. “The African Development Bank is prioritizing natural capital as outlined in its Natural Resources Management and Investment Action Plan (2025–2029), which is anchored in the Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033). Hosting the Africa NCA CoP Secretariat allows the Bank to strengthen capacities, foster collaboration, and ensure that natural capital is fully integrated into policies and investments that drive climate-resilient development across Africa.”
Africa’s abundant natural resources are vital to its economies, livelihoods, and poverty reduction efforts. Yet the value of natural capital is frequently underrepresented in conventional economic measures, leaving ecosystems undervalued and climate vulnerabilities unaddressed.
By taking on hosting the NCA CoP Secretariat, the African Development Bank is set to ensure continuity, strengthen continental ownership, and advance policy engagement on natural capital accounting, ultimately unlocking Africa’s potential for inclusive, green, and climate-resilient development.