The World Bank Group mobilised a record $112 billion in private capital for developing economies in fiscal 2026, more than tripling the amount raised alongside its own financing over four years as the lender steps up efforts to draw investors into markets where funding gaps remain wide.
Private capital mobilisation rose from $35 billion in fiscal 2022 to $112 billion in fiscal 2026, according to the World Bank in a statement on Thursday.
Combined with the group’s own financing, total financing and mobilisation in developing economies exceeded $200 billion during the year.
The increase was strongest in upper-middle-income economies, where private capital mobilised more than quadrupled to $50 billion from $12 billion in fiscal 2022. In lower-middle-income countries, mobilisation climbed to $37 billion from $14 billion.
Africa also recorded a sharp increase, with private capital mobilised rising to about $22 billion from approximately $9 billion over the same period.
In low-income countries, however, mobilisation remained at about $3 billion, reflecting the difficulty of attracting private investment into the world’s most challenging markets.
The figures indicate a broader shift in the World Bank group’s approach to development financing, with the institution seeking to use guarantees and other financial instruments to reduce investment risks and bring more private money into developing economies.
The group issued more than $25 billion in guarantees in fiscal 2026, exceeding its target of $20 billion in annual issuance by 2030 four years ahead of schedule.
The growth was supported by the Group’s guarantee platform, established in 2024 to provide investors and clients with a single access point for guarantee products across the institution.
“Three years ago, our shareholders and clients were clear: utilise World Bank Group financing and knowledge to mobilise more private capital and become a better partner to the private sector. We changed how we work to do that—faster, simpler, and as one World Bank Group,” Ajay Banga, World Bank Group President, said.
“The result is $112 billion mobilised this year, more than three times what we started. But the number only matters if the capital goes where it can create opportunity and jobs. That is the work ahead: keep removing barriers, keep expanding the pool of investors, and keep driving more capital into developing economies,” he added.
The World Bank said the changes followed three years of efforts to simplify its operations, bring its public- and private-sector arms closer together and expand the financing tools available to investors.
Those measures include greater use of local-currency financing, expanded guarantees and equity instruments, efforts to address foreign-exchange risks and work to improve business and regulatory environments.
The institution has also been developing ways to enable institutional investors to participate at greater scale.
The push comes as developing economies face a widening employment challenge, with about 1.2 billion young people expected to reach working age over the next 10 to 15 years, while only around 420 million jobs are projected to be created, according to the World Bank.
The private sector accounts for nine out of 10 jobs in developing economies, making private investment a central part of the Bank’s strategy to expand employment.
In fiscal 2026, 55% of the World Bank group’s total financing, including its own funds and mobilised capital, went to five sectors it identifies as having strong potential for job creation: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, health care, tourism and value-added manufacturing.
The institution said investment is also reaching lower-income economies, where local and regional investors are increasingly supplementing global capital.
The World Bank said it is now seeking to broaden that investor base through an “originate-to-distribute” model designed to package investments for institutional investors.
The initiative aims to connect long-term pools of global capital with investment opportunities in developing economies while allowing the institution to mobilise funding beyond its own balance sheet.
