Africa CEO Forum 2026 Set to Convene Leaders and Investors in Kigali
KIGALI, Rwanda — The 2026 edition of the Africa CEO Forum will take place on May 14 and 15 at the Kigali Convention Centre, bringing together business leaders, investors, policymakers, and development finance institutions from across Africa and beyond.
Founded in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the forum has grown into one of Africa’s leading platforms for public-private dialogue, investment partnerships, and economic strategy discussions.
This year’s edition will be held under the theme, “The scale imperative: Why Africa must embrace shared ownership,” with discussions expected to focus on cross-border cooperation, shared investment models, and the development of continental-scale African enterprises capable of competing globally.
The summit is expected to attract around 2,000 participants from more than 70 countries, including CEOs, heads of state, ministers, development finance leaders, investors, and journalists. Organizers say the forum continues to expand in scale and influence, with the 2025 edition having recorded more than 2,800 participants from 90 countries.
Key discussions during the two-day event will center on financing infrastructure, industrialisation, mining, energy integration, digital sovereignty, institutional capital mobilisation, and cross-border trade systems. Leaders are also expected to explore strategies for building stronger African industries through shared equity structures, regional cooperation, and risk-sharing mechanisms.
A major component of the forum will be the “Invest In” sessions, where investors and CEOs engage directly with government officials on sector opportunities, investment pipelines, and development priorities. The platform is designed not only for dialogue but also to facilitate investment agreements, business partnerships, and public-private collaborations aimed at accelerating long-term economic growth across the continent.
According to organizers, the forum has facilitated more than $1 billion in investment commitments over the last two editions through agreements involving governments, development finance institutions, and private sector actors.
Several African heads of state are expected to attend the 2026 edition, including President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, President Daniel Chapo of Mozambique, and President Mamadi Doumbouya of Guinea. Prime ministers, ministers, and senior government officials from across the continent are also expected to participate.
The forum will follow a two-day structure combining plenary discussions, thematic panels, and structured business meetings aimed at advancing investment opportunities and strengthening partnerships between governments and the private sector.
Since its launch in Geneva in 2012, the Africa CEO Forum has expanded across multiple host cities, including Abidjan and Kigali, which previously hosted the event in 2019 and 2024. The platform has increasingly positioned itself as a key space for shaping conversations around Africa’s economic transformation, investment climate, and industrial competitiveness.
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