The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and Japanese drone manufacturer Aerosense Inc. have formalized a partnership to advance drone technology initiatives across Africa. The agreement, marked by a Letter of Intent signed at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, establishes a framework for cooperation, information sharing, and exploration of co-financing opportunities. Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, AfDB’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialisation, and Kohtaro Sabe, President and CEO of Aerosense, led the signing, underscoring the strategic collaboration between the two institutions.
This partnership builds on AfDB’s Sustainable Road Maintenance Program for Africa, where Aerosense was selected to support infrastructure management initiatives. The agreement will see the AfDB facilitating public sector collaboration, capacity building for local partners, and investigating potential financing options for drone deployment projects. The focus is on promoting sustainable infrastructure solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and support long-term development across the continent.
Aerosense will conduct technical feasibility studies and demand analyses for drone solutions in specific African markets, taking into account local geographical and logistical considerations. The company will explore deployment options based on positive feasibility outcomes, ensuring that drone applications are tailored to meet Africa’s unique infrastructure, agricultural, and disaster management needs. This approach positions drones as a versatile tool for solving multiple socio-economic challenges, from road maintenance to medical delivery.
Solomon Quaynor described the program as a bold response to Africa’s growing infrastructure challenges, highlighting opportunities in disaster management, river and flood control, agricultural sensing, and medical equipment delivery. Kohtaro Sabe emphasized the importance of leveraging multinational technological solutions to improve quality of life across Africa. The collaboration between AfDB and Aerosense represents a concrete step toward integrating advanced technology into Africa’s development agenda, combining innovation, sustainability, and practical impact.
