British companies are set to win more than £330m of export contracts on nine infrastructure projects in Guinea and Benin, supported by £1.1bn of financing and guarantees from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the government’s export credit agency.
The projects cover schools, clean water, electricity transmission and government buildings. The deals were announced as the fifth UK-West and Central Francophone Africa Trade and Investment Forum (WCAF) opened in Conakry, Guinea, this week.
UKEF is also increasing its exposure capacity across West and Central Africa by £1.7bn to support future projects involving British exporters.
The largest single commitment is £257m of UKEF financing for a national programme providing water systems to underserved rural and semi-urban communities across all seven of Guinea’s administrative regions. The contract has been awarded to KDAW Construction Ltd.
UKEF is providing £191m for the development and upgrading of electrical substations as part of the La Cotiere power transmission programme around Conakry and the coastal corridor. That contract has been secured by Construction Management Services.
A further £129m will go towards transmission lines in the same La Cotiere programme, with the contract secured by Elecnor. UKEF said the work was expected to create UK supply-chain opportunities in transmission equipment, grid technology and engineering services.
Elecnor has also secured the contract for a high-tension power line between Boffa and the mining and export hub of Kamsar, which UKEF is supporting with £113m.
UKEF is providing £179m to support the rehabilitation and upgrading of National Route RN32, which links Kouroussa with surrounding economic centres. The contract has been secured by QG Construction UK Ltd.
The Guinea Regional Water Project, which will expand access to potable water through new treatment and distribution infrastructure, is backed by £91m. It will be delivered by UK-headquartered Aqua Africa, which has previously secured UKEF-backed financing for water infrastructure in the region.
Planet One has won the contract for a £75m programme to build primary and secondary schools across four regions.
In Benin, UKEF financing of £82m will help fund a new government administrative complex. The contract has been awarded to ACC UK Group Ltd, and UKEF said it would create openings for UK firms in design, engineering, security systems and specialist building services.
ACC UK Group Ltd has also been awarded the contract for a defence and security campus in Benin, with facilities for military, police, training and security institutions. UKEF is providing £20m towards that project.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “These deals are a major win for UK businesses, helping them secure new contracts in fast-growing markets and driving jobs and growth across the United Kingdom.
“By backing projects like these, UK Export Finance is helping British firms win work overseas, creating opportunities for communities here at home while strengthening our trade partnerships across West and Central Africa.”
Tim Reid, chief executive of UKEF, said: “British businesses have won a huge number of contracts to support key infrastructure projects across the region in recent years, driving job creation in the UK while helping our partners in francophone Africa build the infrastructure they need.
“This is part of the reason we hold the WCAF, we’ve seen many deals signed over the years, and it highlights how UKEF can make a real difference around the world while driving growth in every postcode of the UK.”
WCAF V is hosted by UKEF in partnership with DMA Invest and the Guinean government, and runs until 21 October. The previous edition, held in Lomé, Togo, in November 2025, was the first time the forum had been staged outside London since its launch in 2022.
Atam Sandhu, chief executive of DMA Invest, said: “WCAF is about turning relationships into results. Over five editions, our ambition at DMA has remained clear: to bring governments, businesses and financiers together to help move priority projects from discussion towards delivery.”
UKEF’s work with smaller exporters this year has included a referral partnership with broker Finance for Forces for veteran-led businesses, and a £700,000 NatWest loan guaranteed under its General Export Facility that helped Cheshire manufacturer Packaging One take on a £4m contract.
Amy Ingham
Amy Ingham is a reporter at Business Matters, covering UK business news with a focus on breaking news, business policy, late payments and insolvency. She joined the magazine in 2026 after completing the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism at Harlow College's journalism school. Her recent reporting includes British Steel's nationalisation and its impact on SME suppliers, the decline in late payments by large firms, and Insolvency Service director disqualifications. Reach her at aingham@cbmeg.co.uk.
