By: Robert Kwaku Annor
The Financial Times Africa Summit returns for its 13th edition on 21 to 22 October at The Landmark, London, with John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria, confirmed to take part.
The summit will bring together African leaders,
policymakers, investors and executives to examine the issues shaping the
continent’s economic future. Under the theme “Mobilising Growth in a New Global
Order,” senior voices from government, finance and industry will explore how
African economies can navigate changing global trade and investment patterns
while strengthening domestic capital, regional markets and productive growth.
Other confirmed speakers include Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive, Dangote Group; Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of
the United Republic of Tanzania; Kristy
Mcneill, Minister for International Development, UK Government; Mo Ibrahim, Founder, Mo Ibrahim
Foundation; and Ahmed Shide,
Minister of Finance, Ethiopia, alongside ministers and business leaders from
South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Angola, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Côte
d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Across two days, attendees can expect discussions spanning finance,
trade, technology, infrastructure, energy and industrial growth, with a
particular focus on how African economies can convert structural change into
stronger domestic markets, greater investment and long-term economic value.
Day one will open with a keynote interview with President Mahama,
followed by discussions on the future of finance, domestic capital mobilisation
and the next phase of African fintech. Sessions will also examine the
investment case for scaling SMEs, approaches to gold reserve management and the
economic implications of Africa’s rapid urban expansion.
The second day will turn to the wider forces shaping the
continent’s growth trajectory. Panel discussions will examine how reform can
support sustainable and inclusive growth, how capital and risk can be better
aligned with Africa’s investment ambitions, and how the continent can
strengthen trade in a global environment increasingly shaped by tariffs and
shifting alliances. Discussions will also explore the Red Sea corridor, US
Africa policy and the growing importance of regional demand and deeper
commercial ties with the Gulf, China and India.
Together, the sessions will examine the choices facing African
governments, investors and businesses as they respond to changing global
conditions while seeking to build stronger financial systems, deepen regional
trade and create the infrastructure and industries required for long-term
growth.
The summit will also host the Africa Sustainable Futures Awards, organised in partnership with
the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), recognising
innovative private sector initiatives delivering scalable solutions to Africa’s
most pressing development challenges.
Now in its 13th year, the FT Africa Summit continues to bring African and international decision makers
together around the economic, investment and policy questions shaping the
continent’s future. To register for a
delegate pass, or to apply for media accreditation, visit africa.live.ft.com.
