Programme

Access by invitation only.

Africa’s financial markets, with banking at the helm, are among the most dynamic in the world. Buoyed by high interest rates and growth in trading income, African banks delivered an ROE of 19 percent in 2024 — well above the global average of 10 percent. Yet persistent gaps in access and infrastructure, alongside macroeconomic headwinds, continue to limit the sector’s full potential. This private strategic roundtable offers an exclusive deep dive into six themes likely to drive future profits. To lock in gains as tailwinds fade, African banks could pursue a strategy addressing financial stability, disciplined growth and future capabilities. This means expanding into new markets where the economics are sound, fortifying cyber, fraud and operational resilience, and industrialising AI while strengthening data foundations. The discussion draws on how leading players in Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa are navigating these challenges.

Access by invitation only.

Africa’s industrialisation agenda is entering a more capital-intensive and infrastructure-driven phase, yet the gap between ambition and execution remains a major constraint. Many flagship projects continue to stall before reaching financial close. Accelerating delivery will require stronger public-private partnerships, credible execution partners, and integrated economic infrastructure, including special economic zones, industrial corridors, energy assets, tourism hubs, and agro-industrial platforms. Aligning governments, investors, and operators around bankable structures and regionally coordinated infrastructure will be critical to transforming announced projects into operational assets and building competitive industrial ecosystems across the continent.

Key points:

•  How to move large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects from concept to financial close and build a credible, executable pipeline at the regional level?
• Which PPP frameworks and economic infrastructure models (SEZs, corridors, energy, tourism, agro-industrial platforms) most effectively attract industrial operators and secure long-term investment?
• How can PPPs and integrated economic infrastructure be articulated together to build regionally competitive platforms that capture capital, strengthen local value chains, and deliver lasting economic impact?

Access by invitation only.

This closed-door Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC) roundtable convenes a select group of CEOs and multilateral leaders, to advance private section action on intra-African trade. Anchored by the launch of ABLC’s Five Mindset Shifts to Unlock Intra-African Trade, this session is organized by the UN Global Compact and BCG to translate ABLC insights and AfCFTA ambitions into practical, CEO-led initiatives that can accelerate trade and investment in the continent.

USD 100 billion: this is Africa’s annual infrastructure financing gap. By 2040, nearly 70% of the required infrastructure will still need to be built, against a backdrop of rapid population growth and accelerating urbanization. This challenge is further compounded by significant climate risks, which could reduce GDP by up to 20%, underscoring the urgent need to fundamentally rethink infrastructure development models.

In the face of these challenges, fragmented approaches have reached their limits. The priority is now clear: to coordinate governments, financiers, and developers to deliver resilient and sustainable infrastructure at scale. What cooperation models will enable the delivery of tomorrow’s resilient infrastructure?

In this context, BNETD, Côte d’Ivoire’s national agency and the government’s technical arm responsible for preparing and structuring major infrastructure projects, has initiated a convergence effort across ecosystem stakeholders – one that must now be accelerated.

• Shared strategic priorities: how can national agendas be better aligned to structure large-scale regional project development value chains?
• Blended finance: how can public and private financing be better articulated to accelerate capital mobilization at scale?
• Co-delivery: what collaboration mechanisms between public, private, and international developers can accelerate the structuring and delivery of these projects?