Evaluating the impact of British International Investment’s infrastructure portfolio: final synthesis report

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) contracted Itad to undertake a 5-year evaluation, starting in 2020, to support both accountability and learning.

Its core aim was to assess the development impact of British International Investment's (BII's) infrastructure investments, examining not only what has been achieved but also how BII's actions and instruments contribute to these outcomes.

The synthesis draws on a comprehensive review of BII's infrastructure portfolio, 5 in-depth studies, and interviews with a broad cross-section of BII staff. As of end-2024, infrastructure investments accounted for $3.3 billion (36%) of BII's total $9.2 billion portfolio.

The 5 in-depth studies examine individual BII investments in infrastructure sub-sectors covered:

• commercial and industrial renewable power investment in India
• fibre broadband in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
• investment in port expansion in Somaliland
• the economic and climate impact of power investments across 6 African countries
• how access to green energy transforms rural communities in the DRC

The report outlines where BII is having impact, mobilising private capital to support essential infrastructure, targeting critical gaps in emerging markets where access to finance is limited. The synthesis report makes a number of recommendations to enhance future impact and evaluations.