Mr. Emuwa will discuss the vital interplay of leadership, strong institutions, and strategic infrastructure investment in shaping Africa’s economic future. Leveraging his extensive experience transforming Union Bank and now chairing the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), he will connect lessons in large-scale institutional turnaround with the imperatives of financing Africa’s infrastructure backbone via the AFC. The keynote will emphasize building trusted frameworks, mobilizing capital with purpose through governance and sustainability, and the importance of African-led institutions for long-term growth.    

This panel shifts focus from traditional aid to exploring sustainable financial models driving Africa’s economic self-sufficiency. Experts will dissect challenges like inflation and underdeveloped capital markets, alongside opportunities in digital currencies (CBDCs, crypto), diversified funding sources (DFIs, remittances, non-Western partners), and impact investing, charting a course for growth independent of aid reliance.

Dr. Bawumia will offer a forward-looking perspective on Africa’s digital transformation, drawing on his influential journey from technocrat to Vice President of Ghana. The address will focus on how visionary leadership, coupled with digital innovation and data-driven economic reforms (like those implemented in Ghana), can build resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive African nations. He’ll explore creating enabling environments for innovation, the role of Digital Public Infrastructure, and the enduring impact of leadership beyond political office.    

This discussion tackles the critical need for integrated hard (physical) and soft (digital, policy) infrastructure to unlock Africa’s economic potential. Experts will address the $130-170bn annual funding gap, exploring innovative financing, climate resilience, the just energy transition, and the synergy between physical networks and digital/policy frameworks essential for AfCFTA success. The focus is on sustainable, collaborative, and transparent solutions tailored to Africa’s context. 

Senator Dr. Ibrahim will explore the essential convergence of leadership across business, policy, and academia needed to propel Africa forward. Drawing from his unique background founding the Energy Group conglomerate, serving as a Nigerian Senator with significant international roles (IPU, ECOWAS), and holding multiple advanced degrees (Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford etc.), he will discuss how entrepreneurial risk-taking, informed legislation, academic insight, and strategic diplomacy must unite. The focus includes mobilizing resources for infrastructure and building enduring corporate, governmental, and educational institutions, like his newly founded University of Fortune.

This panel examines the burgeoning economic engine behind Africa’s global cultural surge in music, art, film, and fashion. Leaders will unpack the business infrastructure driving this creative renaissance, including investment trends, digital platforms, and ecosystem development (like Art X, Platoon). The discussion explores how African creativity shapes global trends and perceptions (soft power), while navigating industry practicalities and the balance between cultural authenticity and commercialisation.

Moving beyond Silicon Valley hype, this panel confronts the unique, practical realities of scaling tech ventures across Africa. Discussions will explore how founders overcome infrastructure and capital hurdles, leveraging AI for local needs and evolving fintech beyond payments into savings (PiggyVest), lending, mobility finance (Moove), and B2B infrastructure (Multigate). It offers a grounded look at building trust and achieving scalable, inclusive digital transformation based on local context.