Program

One of Africa’s great industrialists, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman and CEO of Nigeria-headquartered conglomerate BUA Group, enjoyed surging profits under challenging conditions in 2021 after spinning off and publicly listing its food and cement businesses (BUA Foods and BUA Cement). In conversation with Eleni Giokos, anchor of CNN’s Connecting Africa, Mr. Rabiu outlines his vision of economic sovereignty on the continent and the business possibilities through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). 

COVID-19 has placed economic sovereignty back at the centre of the debate by underscoring the importance of access to vaccines, digital independence, and industrial outsourcing. Economic sovereignty has particularly caught on in Africa as the continent relies more heavily on the rest of the world than other regions with 84% of its trade coming outside its borders. Some countries have managed to reduce external reliance, such as Nigeria in the cement industry and South Africa in pharmaceuticals. What strategies can minimise Africa’s dependency? Is greater self-sufficiency always the best solution? And how can Africa build economic sovereignty on a regional or even continental scale? 

Key points 

• Which sectors can best deliver economic sovereignty: agribusiness, energy, consumer goods? 

• Market size: How can Africa set up value chains on a regional scale? 

• From planning to implementation: What are the ideal forms of partnerships between governments and African champions? 

Less than 10% of infrastructure investments in Africa are from private sources, such as banks and private equity. Despite colossal needs of between $100 billion and $170 billion per year, and significant local resource availability (approximately $2 trillion of local currency equivalent financing available in African pension funds, life insurance and sovereign funds), local sources of private capital are struggling to contribute. From insufficient ROI, risk allocation, regulations and capacity to ensure long-term loans, the obstacles are numerous. While power and telecoms projects have succeeded in attracting investors in recent years, how can local investors be encouraged to provide for other sectors?  

Key points 

• Local currency: How to mobilise the vast local currency resources on the continent 

• Local banks: Innovating towards project finance transactions 

•  International investors: What are they looking for in local equity and financing partners? 

The continent’s path through disruptions, from the pandemic to the conflict in Ukraine, remains uncertain. With inflation in OECD countries at its highest in 30 years (+7.7% in February) and interest rates trending upwards, pressure on African currencies is rising. Already up against supply chain disruptions, agricultural commodity inflation and rising public debt, Africa’s room to manoeuvre towards economic recovery is shrinking. From revising fiscal policies to managing public debt and attracting foreign investment, how can Africa pull through?   

Key points   

• What public and fiscal policies are needed to avoid jeopardising recovery?   

• Public debt increasingly held locally – good or bad news?   

• Foreign direct investment: What can be done to lure investors back?   

Africa imports about 85% of its food ($35bn) annually and is expected to import $110bn by 2025. In some countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused over two thirds of adequately nourished households to fall into food insecurity by June 2020. Now climate change, food price increases, and population spikes present further challenges. Until now, siloed private sector investments have led to limited socioeconomic impact and have represented a fraction of total agricultural funding. During this closed-door session, key CEOs, private and development bankers and government representatives discuss how to coordinate a multistakeholder push, driven by local players, to ensure African countries meet their food needs.

As the foremost annual meeting of the private sector on the continent, the AFRICA CEO FORUM is the leading platform for public-private dialogue. ‘Invest In’ sessions allow CEOs and investors to meet with high-level African government officials to gain deeper insight into their countries’ economic development strategies. These sessions provide exposure to a variety of key sectors, business environments, and public and private investment opportunities. 

Out of sync with the market, overstaffed, poorly managed: state-owned enterprises have a bad reputation on the continent. However, there have been many success stories. Companies such as Ethiopian Airlines and OCP are recognised as major African players that have been growing steadily and pursuing a regional expansion policy. Both have become assets to their governments’ economic policy and vehicles to reduce external dependence. What is behind their success? How is their relationship to the state structured? 

Key points 

• Social or business role: preparing a value creation strategy 

• Choosing the right governance model to promote management transparency, independence and responsibility 

• How can public enterprises duplicate their performance abroad? 

Down the generations, family businesses are faced with the challenge of long-term viability and growth. Traditionally structured around a strong, stable core – the family – African family businesses are increasingly open to hiring outside talent for top positions. In 2020, 50% of African family businesses considered appointing a non-family member as CEO, compared to only 28% in 2018.  According to several studies, outside leaders joining the board and the management team contribute new expertise, a different strategic vision and have an openness to international markets. How should family businesses go about selecting outside talent? How can companies reconcile family culture with an outside party? 

Key points 

• Vision, risk-taking, impact: What can outside board members bring to a family business? 

• Governance: What role should outside leaders have in decision-making? 

• At what stage in development should a family company bring in an outside leader? 

Of the $19 billion in climate financing channelled towards sub-Saharan Africa in 2020, 62% was focused on mitigation and only 38% on adaptation. Investors tend to shy away from such financing because of its tendency to generate no revenue, with little or no return. This is especially true for nature-based solutions like mangroves or forests, but less so for agriculture, where adaptation products and services (such as climate-resilient seeds) are easier to make commercially viable. How can all industries overcome the obstacles stifling profitability? What role can the private sector play in adaptation finance?  

 Key points 

• Agriculture: Scaling up profitable projects with help from the private sector  

• Resilient infrastructure: How to integrate climate risk into project financing?   

• Biodiversity and ecosystems: How can the necessary funds be raised for seemingly unprofitable projects?  

In this session, prominent political leaders will be interviewed by a leading African journalist on the new paths to growth for Africa. The major issues of the moment – from world trade to inflation, crisis management, COP27 and AfCFTA – will also be up for discussion. 

Social and environmental action taken by African family businesses is gaining pace. Around 17% of African family businesses have a family foundation, 11% are considering establishing one, while 35% say they are actively involved in CSR. A workshop of African family business leaders pinpoints the best ways to approach philanthropy. From finding expertise, forming alliances for scale, financing and measuring impact, this workshop run by KPMG Private Enterprise guides one through the stages of philanthropic endeavours to identify best practices. 

Transport and logistics account for nearly a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions each year. With many operators committed to carbon neutrality by 2050, the sector must now revolutionise the entire value chain. In Africa, where fleets and infrastructure have not evolved at the same pace as elsewhere, the challenges ahead are immense: from improving efficiency, delivering a technological leap, shortening routes and changing behaviors. This roundtable of leaders of the sector, members of government and multilateral bankers will explore the avenues that can be pursued collectively to achieve a sustainable African logistics industry.

As the foremost annual meeting of the private sector on the continent, the AFRICA CEO FORUM is the leading platform for public-private dialogue. ‘Invest In’ sessions allow CEOs and investors to meet with high-level African government officials to gain deeper insight into their countries’ economic development strategies. These sessions provide exposure to a variety of key sectors, business environments, and public and private investment opportunities. 

A global clean energy shift is creating huge prospects to mine more ‘green minerals’ such as copper, lithium, cobalt, bauxite, graphite and nickel. Used for EV batteries and solar panels, the prices of these minerals exploded in 2021 with cobalt up 120% and aluminium rising 40%. Africa holds rich reserves of most green minerals. But to reap the full rewards, the continent will have to reassure investors about the sector’s historically criticised governance, guarantee a sustainable supply chain and develop local processing. How can public authorities and mining companies together wholly capitalise on the green revolution? 

Key points 

• Investors, buyers and international regulations: Keeping pace with expectations 

• Poor governance: Does an efficient ‘green mineral’ value chain hinge on government mining administrations? 

• Local value addition: From refining metals to manufacturing EV batteries 

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted Africa’s dependence on the rest of the world. In 2020, the continent saw its worst recession in 50 years, with foreign direct investment plummeting 16% and exports falling 8.5%. This has resulted in renewed calls for intra-African trade (~15% of total trade) and local manufacturing to underpin Africa’s growth strategy. But how do business leaders perceive this ambition? And how can they help deliver on a strategy for economic sovereignty? The continent’s top CEOs share their visions of a more shock-resilient Africa. 

Key points  

• Does the quest for economic sovereignty threaten private sector competitiveness? 

• AfCFTA: Breaking the deadlock 

• How can the private sector become more involved in defining national strategies? 

As the foremost annual meeting of the private sector on the continent, the AFRICA CEO FORUM is the leading platform for public-private dialogue. ‘Invest In’ sessions allow CEOs and investors to meet with high-level African government officials to gain deeper insight into their countries’ economic development strategies. These sessions provide exposure to a variety of key sectors, business environments, and public and private investment opportunities. 

The private sector is facing a dilemma: delivering impact in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) while meeting fiscal targets. As the continent hosting 60% of those in extreme poverty, the most child labourers (72m), and the largest annual rate of net forest loss of the last decade, Africa and businesses operating within its borders are under heightened scrutiny on the international scene. From navigating regulatory obligations, establishing optional targets against the 2030 Agenda, and using digital tools to measure and communicate progress, Bureau Veritas and two leading CEOs examine how businesses in Africa can deploy a credible ESG strategy that delivers impact without jeopardizing the bottom line. 

Off-grid solutions have brought electricity to 60m Africans in the last decade while powering services and industries. Yet it remains costly to establish mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS) and see a return on investment for small-scale projects targeting low-income consumers. Decentralised renewables in Africa are meanwhile recovering from COVID-19, which caused funding shortages and delays. Some big players are already active, but 72% of sub-Saharan Africa’s rural population and 22% in urban areas still lack power. In a roundtable hosted by Deloitte, public-private actors discuss how to entice the private sector to support the SDG target of universal energy access by 2030. 

For this unprecedented one-hour session five CEOs of Africa’s most promising start-ups try their hand at forecasting. Each will deliver a dynamic and interactive 10-minute speech laying out a vision of their sector’s future. 

• What will financial services look like in 10 years?   

• How far can artificial intelligence go to support decision making? 

• Can digital technology revolutionise access to health services? 

• What impact will the digital economy have on the creative arts? 

• What lies ahead for Africa’s urban transport? 

Since Barclays reduced its Africa footprint in 2017, major European banks such as BNP Paribas and Standard Chartered have made divestments on the continent, citing unstable currencies and high operating costs. This has allowed some African banks to expand geographic coverage and for still active international banks to reassert their commitment to Africa. Amid a digital transition, competition from fintechs and rising demand for sophisticated offerings, do local banks and the international players remaining have the will and capabilities to efficiently serve Africa’s private sector? 

Key points 

• In what capacity will global banks remain? Are conditions right for African banks to successfully expand? 

• Derisking: How can more correspondent banking take hold in Africa? 

• From technological means to in-house expertise: What will banks need to close trade finance and SME lending gaps?