NAIF is a Commonwealth Government entity established to facilitate economic and population growth in northern Australia through financing infrastructure projects and businesses and helping to catalyse private sector investment. 

NAIF’s record to date includes partnering with projects in a broad range of industry sectors in the northern Australia economy, including  resources, energy, transport, agriculture and aquaculture, education, healthcare, tourism and social infrastructure. 

At our core, NAIF’s role is to be an impact investor in northern Australia. We do this by: 

• facilitating the growth of northern Australia; 
• accelerating projects; 
• delivering public benefit; 
• catalysing and crowding in private sector investment; and 
• ensuring strong indigenous opportunities and outcomes. 

Find out more about us. 

We can finance projects and businesses – large, medium and small – across a range of sectors not limited to mining and resources, agriculture and aquaculture, transport (including airports, ports, rail and logistics), energy, water, education, tourism, social infrastructure, healthcare, telecommunications and manufacturing. 

You can read about our projects.

NAIF was provided with an initial $5 billion of capital by the Commonwealth Government.  This was increased to $7 billion in June 2023.  Across northern Australia at May 2023 NAIF had made financing commitments of $4 billion. These projects are forecast to generate $29 billion in economic impact and support more than 15,000 jobs (during construction and operations). 

We work with project proponents to offer a range of flexible financing products on commercial terms. 

Provided that your project is eligible for NAIF support, NAIF can provide: 

• Bespoke and flexible loan facilities. 
• Loans for smaller-scale projects including through financing partnerships. 
• Equity finance, subject to a cap of $50m per investment and a minimum investment size of $5m; NAIF can invest in non-controlling equity stakes. 

• Financing directly to proponents rather than via the States or Territory under certain circumstances. 

With NAIF’s focus on northern Australia, we consider the unique circumstances of the region; climate, distance from major markets and sparse populations being common themes. Our commercially focused investment team works closely with proponents to structure loan deals in the most appropriate way. 

As a Government entity, NAIF ensures the careful stewardship of public funds. Central to this is ensuring that proponents demonstrate an ability to repay loans or provide a return on equity investments. 

Please note that NAIF cannot provide funding for feasibility studies. 

NAIF does not provide grants or fund business cases. NAIF’s financing is in the form of commercial loans or equity. 

Under the 2021 reforms to NAIF, we are now able to contribute equity finance to projects. This is subject to a cap of $50m per investment and being non-controlling stakes. NAIF’s total equity commitments are capped at $500m. 

NAIF will primarily focus on the provision of gap equity to assist projects with fundraising in progression. NAIF will not provide development or early-stage equity.