Business
Ruto, Zubairu, top African CEOs to headline Africa debate in London
Invest Africa has announced the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) as the Headline Partner for the 11th edition of The Africa Debate, scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at the historic Guildhall in London.
This year’s theme, “Harnessing Natural Capital for Growth,” focuses on how Africa can strategically invest in its natural and human assets—from critical minerals and arable land to a growing youthful population—to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.
Recognised as the UK’s premier Africa-focused investment forum, The Africa Debate will bring together over 700 top-tier delegates from government, finance, and industry. The event will feature keynote speeches, ministerial dialogues, and sector-specific discussions exploring industrialisation, digital infrastructure, regional trade, and climate-smart finance.
Confirmed speakers include:
H.E. William Ruto, President of Kenya
H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Former PM of Ethiopia & Chair, TradeMark Africa
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General, AfCFTA
Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank
Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO, AFC
Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director, African Dept., IMF
Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Chair, Econet
Wale Tinubu, CEO, Oando Plc
Duncan Wanblad, CEO, Anglo American
Monique Gieskes, CEO, PHC
Marie-Chantal Kaninda, President, Glencore DRC
Samaila Zubairu emphasised the role of infrastructure in unlocking Africa’s resource-driven potential, saying, “Natural capital is only as valuable as the systems that refine, protect, and elevate it. Infrastructure is the bridge to industrialisation.”
Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, noted, “Africa’s path to prosperity must be built not on extraction, but on transformation. This platform aims to spark bold, bankable solutions.”
Event sponsors include AFC, Afreximbank, Absa Group, FirstBank UK, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered, Safaricom, Octopus Energy, and the London Stock Exchange Group, among others.
To register, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4efWGM0. Early registration is essential as places are limited.