The World Bank Group says it has mobilised nearly $3.2 billion in private capital for Pakistan since 2022. The figure is part of a record $112 billion mobilised for developing economies in fiscal year 2026, a total that more than tripled in four years.
According to a World Bank Group press release, the amount is the highest annual private capital mobilisation in the institution’s history. It rose from $35 billion in FY2022. Together with the group’s own financing, total financing and mobilisation for developing economies topped $200 billion in FY2026.
Gains spread across income groups and Africa
The release said growth was broad-based. Mobilisation for lower-middle-income countries climbed from $14 billion to $37 billion, while upper-middle-income countries rose from $12 billion to $50 billion. Low-income countries, where attracting private investment remains difficult, held at around $3 billion.
Across Africa, private capital mobilisation increased from about $9 billion to $22 billion over the period, a rise of nearly 150 per cent.
Institutional reforms behind rising private investment
The World Bank Group attributed the growth to three years of reforms aimed at strengthening engagement with the private sector, simplifying procedures and improving coordination between its public and private operations. It now offers a single point of contact for each country and is developing integrated country strategies tied to national priorities.
The Private Sector Investment Lab has identified practical barriers to investment and proposed measures to address them. Other initiatives include improving the business and regulatory environment, expanding guarantees and local-currency financing, and widening equity options.
Guarantee issuance runs ahead of 2030 target
The group issued more than $25 billion in guarantees in FY2026, surpassing its target of $20 billion in annual issuance by 2030, four years ahead of schedule. The increase was led by the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform, set up in 2024 to give clients and investors a single access point to guarantee products.
