The money question sits at the heart of the Financial Times Africa Summit’s 13th edition, which returns to The Landmark, London, on 21 to 22 October under the theme “Mobilising Growth in a New Global Order.” For investors and market-watchers, the two-day gathering offers a concentrated look at how African economies plan to fund their next phase of growth as global trade and investment patterns shift.
The speaker roster reflects that focus. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, and Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria, are confirmed to take part, alongside Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group; Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania; Kristy Mcneill, Minister for International Development in the UK Government; Mo Ibrahim, Founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; and Ahmed Shide, Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance. Ministers and business leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Angola, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will also attend.
Day one opens with a keynote interview with President Mahama, followed by sessions on the future of finance, domestic capital mobilisation and the next phase of African fintech. The investment case for scaling SMEs, approaches to gold reserve management and the economic implications of Africa’s rapid urban expansion are also on the programme. Each session points to one underlying challenge: converting structural change into stronger domestic markets, greater investment and long-term economic value.
By contrast, the second day widens the aperture to the forces shaping the continent’s growth trajectory. Panels will consider how reform can support sustainable and inclusive growth, how capital and risk can be better aligned with Africa’s investment ambitions, and how the continent can strengthen trade in a global environment increasingly defined by tariffs and shifting alliances. Discussions will also cover the Red Sea corridor, US Africa policy and the growing weight of regional demand, along with deeper commercial ties with the Gulf, China and India.
The throughline, as the summit frames it, is the set of choices facing African governments, investors and businesses as they respond to changing global conditions while building stronger financial systems, deepening regional trade and creating the infrastructure and industries needed for long-term growth.
Recognition of private sector delivery also features. The summit will host the Africa Sustainable Futures Awards, organised in partnership with the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), honouring innovative private sector initiatives that deliver scalable solutions to Africa’s most pressing development challenges.
Now in its 13th year, the FT Africa Summit continues to convene African and international decision makers around the economic, investment and policy questions shaping the continent’s future. Full coverage is available via Tech Review Africa at https://techreviewafrica.com/news/7702/ft-africa-summit-2026-to-convene-african-leaders-investors-and-policymakers-amid-shifting-global-order, and those wishing to attend can register for a delegate pass, or apply for media accreditation, at africa.live.ft.com.