Unlocking Africa’s Potential: Join the Movement for Economic Empowerment! Africa, despite its vast wealth in both resources and human capital, has faced persistent challenges on the path to economic empowerment. The continent’s journey towards sustainable growth has been hindered by historical legacies and complex global dynamics.

Enter our Annual Event: “African Economic Empowerment.” Our mission is clear – to ignite transformative discussions and initiatives that will empower the entire African continent.

The Time is Now: We believe that the moment for collective action has arrived. United under the banner of the Africa Policy Conversations Initiative, we are dedicated to finding holistic solutions to the continent’s challenges.

All Hands on Deck: Solving Africa’s problems necessitates a multi-dimensional approach, with collaboration at its core. We’re committed to fostering partnerships among stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

Inclusive Voices: We recognize the power of youth and women, the continent’s largest demographic, and are determined to amplify their voices in the pursuit of African economic empowerment. Get ready for a series of dynamic panels and interactive sessions that will dive deep into the critical facets of African economic empowerment. Join us as we embark on this transformative journey together!”

Panel 1: ‘Financing Innovation: The Opportunities in AI, Fintech, Afrobeats & More.’

Objective: To explore the intersection of innovation, finance, and creativity in driving Africa’s economic growth and answer the question of ownership of intellectual property of tech companies. Also to discuss how African jurisdictions spur innovation and mobilize domestic capital to scale and create wealth. The panel will highlight investment opportunities in areas such as AI, Fintech, and the creative industry, showcasing how these sectors can synergize to fuel Africa’s economic evolution.

Panel 2: ‘Strengthening institutions in Africa and building the right foundation for development and inclusive growth.’

Objective: To highlight the issues surrounding poor institutions in most African countries, particularly the non-existent or reduced adherence to the rule of law, the occurrence of coups in francophones and the need to protect human rights and the social welfare of our citizens. This panel seeks to discuss the measures needed to improve policy implementation and to set up strong institutions that would invariably promote access to Justice, good governance and the ease of doing business in Africa.

Panel 3: ‘Rethinking Finance, Philanthropy and Diaspora Investments in Africa.’

Objective: To answer the question, ‘How can we promote the culture of philanthropy by Africans (home and abroad) and support homegrown solutions to our problems? Secondly, we will explore various alternative sources of finance to support impact investing and empower women and youth-owned businesses on the continent. Finally, we will explore how funding from the Africans in the diaspora can be leveraged to drive economic growth and highlight success stories, identify challenges, and outline strategies to create an enabling environment for diaspora investments and SME empowerment.

Panel 4: ‘Energizing Africa’s Future: Powering Progress While Embracing Green Growth.’

Objective: To engage in a thought-provoking debate about Africa’s energy future, contrasting the potential of oil and gas wealth with the imperative of embracing climate responsibility. To answer the question: ‘What is Africa’s path to a just energy transition and how can African countries harness green finance to fund cleaner energy sources such as wind, and solar, among others?’. The panel will examine the transformative power of sustainable development, green tech, and international investments in fostering economic growth and job creation while mitigating climate challenges.

Sector Spotlight (15 minutes): ‘Africa’s Next Chapter for Mining: The Opportunities in Lithium, Cobalt, Gold & Others.’

Objective: A presentation or fireside chat to unveil the transformative potential of mining in Africa, specifically focusing on Lithium, Cobalt, Gold, and other critical minerals. This aims to shift the narrative from resource exploitation to sustained prosperity, emphasizing investment opportunities, responsible mining practices, and economic growth potentials.