The UK has pledged to provide new investment of up to £300 million to build essential infrastructure such as power, roads and water in Africa.

The Department for International Development said the projects will help lay the foundations for new trading and business opportunities across Africa “in places businesses previously would not have been able to operate”.

It is part of a range of measures announced my Prime Minister Theresa May to boost investment in businesses and infrastructure across the region during her visit this week.

She has also set a new ambition for the UK to be the largest G7 foreign direct investor in Africa by 2020.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: “Africa’s emerging markets offer huge untapped potential to the UK. There is a massive shortage of investment, infrastructure and jobs in these markets and the City of London is uniquely placed to help fill this gap while earning benefits for the UK economy.

“We’re building mutually beneficial partnerships which are helping to stimulate long term transformational growth and create good jobs for people in the world’s poorest countries, while also allowing UK investors to access the wealth of opportunity offered by African countries.”