How to Find AfDB Funded Tenders

For project-financed operations (the vast majority of AfDB lending), no. Procurement is executed by the borrowing country — typically a government ministry or Project Implementation Unit (PIU). The AfDB sets procurement rules, reviews compliance, and provides no-objection for high-value contracts. The Bank does directly procure goods and services for its own headquarters operations in Abidjan and regional offices through its EPROCURE system, but this represents a small fraction of overall procurement.

Firms from all AfDB member countries are eligible. This includes 54 African Regional Member Countries (RMCs) and 28 non-regional member countries (including the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, China, India, and others). Firms from non-member countries are ineligible. Some contracts under national competitive bidding may apply a domestic preference margin of up to 15% for local firms on works and goods.

The AfDB's working languages are English and French. Procurement notices and solicitation documents are published in the official language of the borrowing country, which is typically English or French depending on the region. In practice, most international competitive bidding documents are available in English or French. Proposals are usually accepted in either language. Some North African procurements may also use Arabic.

The two frameworks are broadly similar — both are principles-based, use standard procurement documents, and require borrower execution. Key differences include: AfDB may apply domestic preference margins for African firms, AfDB uses its own Standard Solicitation Documents (not World Bank SPDs), thresholds and prior review limits differ by country, and AfDB has sector-specific strategies (High 5 priorities) that influence project selection. Experience with one MDB translates well to the other.

The AfDB participates in the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions with four other multilateral development banks: the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Inter-American Development Bank. A firm debarred by any one of these institutions for fraud, corruption, collusion, coercion, or obstruction is automatically cross-debarred from procurement financed by all five institutions. This makes maintaining a clean compliance record essential.