Parsons' commentary on the AfDB's African Economic Outlook 2026 argues that Africa's development future hinges on deploying its own capital, not attracting external finance. With Africa's institutional investors managing roughly $4 trillion but directing under 3 percent to domestic infrastructure, the challenge is intermediation, not availability. The piece points to up to $1.43 trillion in unlockable annual financing and initiatives like NAFAD, the African Credit Rating Agency and capital market integration as fundamentally legal projects requiring strong governance, regulation and transaction frameworks.