It’s not every day that Africa’s titans of industry, heads of state, and heavyweight investors all descend on one city—but that’s exactly what’s happening this week in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where the Africa CEO Forum is taking place amid fanfare, optimism, and just the right amount of corporate flair. Now in its twelfth edition, the annual event has grown from a modest networking hub to the continent’s premier gathering for business and economic visionaries.
Organized by Jeune Afrique Media Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the forum is hosting over 2,000 participants this year, ranging from the heads of Africa’s fastest-growing companies to policymakers shaping the continent’s economic trajectory. The event is more than just a networking gala—it’s a strategic pit stop for those looking to drive Africa’s growth story forward.
The theme this year—“At the Table or On the Menu? Africa’s Next Moves in a Changing Global Order”—is as provocative as it is timely. With global economic power gradually shifting and geopolitical tensions redrawing alliances, the forum is tackling tough questions: How can Africa assert itself in a fragmented world? Where does the continent stand in conversations around green energy, AI, and global trade? And most importantly, how can African businesses lead the way in crafting solutions that are as local as they are global?
Speakers have included some of the continent’s most influential figures. Patrick Achi, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, opened the proceedings with a clarion call for deeper regional cooperation, citing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a “game-changer that must be backed by action, not just ambition.” He emphasized infrastructure, energy, and education as pillars that must support this trade revolution.
On the business side, CEOs from sectors as varied as fintech, agribusiness, telecommunications, and green energy took to the stage to share their successes and stumble-worthy lessons. Miriam Mussa, CEO of Tanzania’s leading mobile payments firm MobiGo, drew applause when she recounted navigating regulatory minefields to expand her services to four East African countries. “What we need is not less regulation—but smarter regulation,” she said, adding that governments and entrepreneurs “must stop seeing each other as rivals and start seeing themselves as partners in national development.”
That sentiment was echoed in a roundtable featuring a mix of public and private sector leaders, including Kenya’s Central Bank Governor Kamau Wanjiru and Ghanaian tech investor Afia Boateng. The consensus? Africa’s best days are ahead, but only if its leaders are bold enough to invest in the future—especially in digital infrastructure and youth employment.
Private equity was another hot topic, with new funds being announced and existing players signaling an appetite for African ventures that prioritize sustainability and innovation. The IFC, a key partner of the forum, revealed plans to increase its investment portfolio in Africa by 30% over the next two years, with a strong focus on climate-resilient projects and women-led enterprises.
Yet amid all the buzzwords and billion-dollar figures, a sobering undercurrent runs through many of the conversations. Youth unemployment remains staggeringly high across much of the continent, and global inflation has left many economies grappling with currency depreciation and mounting debt. “The challenge,” said Angolan economist Maria Domingos during a breakout session, “is to make these glittering gatherings translate into gritty, on-the-ground progress. The boardroom has to meet the street.”
The forum isn’t all suits and panels, though. There’s been an unmistakable energy in the corridors and coffee breaks—business cards are exchanged as quickly as ideas, and deals are whispered over Ivorian coffee and plantain chips. For many attendees, the real magic of the Africa CEO Forum lies in the connections made away from the spotlight. These are the conversations that may one day power a new solar grid in Mali, launch a pan-African logistics startup, or transform cocoa farming in Ghana.
As the event enters its final day, the tone is cautiously optimistic. Africa, attendees agree, cannot afford to be a spectator in the global economic arena. It must hustle its way to the front row—not with a begging bowl, but with a business plan. And judging by the energy in Abidjan, that plan is already taking shape. Of course, no CEO forum would be complete without a few closing pledges and an afterparty or two. But if there’s one takeaway from this year’s gathering, it’s this: Africa’s boardrooms are buzzing, its entrepreneurs are dreaming big, and the continent’s future might just be shaped not in parliaments or palaces, but around coffee tables in places like Abidjan.
