Wednesday 18th June 2025
Par inAfrika Reporter
Africa’s leading investment dialogue platform, The Africa Debate, is set to return to the City of London on July 2, 2025. This year’s edition, under the theme “Harnessing Natural Capital for Growth,” promises to be a game-changer. With over 700 senior decision-makers attending, including heads of state and global industry leaders, the event will tackle one of Africa’s most pressing questions: how to turn natural resource wealth into transformational, inclusive growth.
Among the confirmed headline speakers are H.E. William Ruto, President of Kenya, and Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. They will be joined by top executives, economists, financiers, and policymakers to explore strategies that can elevate Africa’s extractive assets into long-term development gains.
This 11th edition will spotlight how Africa can better harness critical minerals, fertile land, and a youthful population to leapfrog into sustainable industrialisation. The programme will feature keynote addresses, ministerial roundtables, and in-depth sector discussions focused on climate-smart innovation, digital infrastructure, intra-African trade, and strategic financing.
Africa Finance Corporation, the event’s Headline Partner, sees infrastructure as the critical link between natural wealth and prosperity. Samaila Zubairu underscored the need for long-term strategic capital that can refine and elevate Africa’s natural advantages. He stressed that platforms like The Africa Debate are essential for surfacing bold ideas and actionable solutions.
The significance of this year’s dialogue also lies in its timing. As global geopolitics shift and climate pressures intensify, Africa’s ability to position itself as a competitive, resilient player on the world stage becomes more urgent. Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, noted that Africa’s future must be shaped by transformation, not extraction. She emphasised that this gathering is designed to provoke hard questions about how the continent can fully own and shape its economic destiny.
The speaker list reflects a truly pan-African and global perspective, with influential voices such as Hailemariam Desalegn, Wamkele Mene, Benedict Oramah, Strive Masiyiwa, Duncan Wanblad, and Marie-Chantal Kaninda sharing the stage. Discussions will include value chain development, blended finance, and Africa’s place in a multipolar global economy.
Confirmed sponsors span financial institutions, multinationals, and strategic developers including Afreximbank, Standard Bank Group, Lagos Free Zone, Octopus Energy, Safaricom, and the London Stock Exchange Group.
The Africa Debate remains a key forum to spark collaboration, forge investment pathways, and reimagine the role of African assets in the global economic system. With the right partnerships and bold leadership, Africa’s natural capital could become the cornerstone of its economic rebirth.
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