In July 2018, OPIC had launched its Connect Africa Initiative which aimed to fund more projects which would target infrastructure, technology, and value chains in Africa. With projects within Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over one quarter of OPIC's portfolio, the region was a key area of focus for the corporation. Through Connect Africa, OPIC had pledged to $1 billion over three years to projects supporting telecommunications and internet access, value chains that connected producers of raw materials to end users, and essential infrastructure, such as roads, railways, ports, and airports. These commitments to connectivity would support economic growth and shore up regional security.