The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it needs to increase its risk capital by the end of 2011 to meet growing demand from members borrowing due to the current global economic crisis.

The bank normally provides loans and grants worth $5,5-billion per year, but expects more countries to turn to it for help as the financial turmoil spreads across the continent.

"The bank currently has enough risk capital to deliver on its normal lending programme consistent with its medium-term strategy," it said in a statement issued in Dar es Salaam late on Thursday.

"We currently estimate that this ... programme will consume about 90 percent of its risk capital by 2012. However, the new demand created by the crisis to which the bank is responding implies that the bank's risk capital will need to be boosted by the end of 2011."

The AfDB has said it plans to double annual lending to $11-billion to help countries deal with the global downturn. The money will go to, among other things, an emergency liquidity facility and trade financing facilities.

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