Abidjan — Concluded on Might 13 in Abidjan, the AFRICA CEO FORUM 2025 – co-organized by Jeune Afrique Media Group and the IFC – introduced collectively over 2,800 financial and political leaders from 90 nations. This twelfth version marks a strategic turning level in consolidating an formidable public-private partnership for the continent. This 12 months’s version stood out by means of concrete commitments: 4 main offers had been signed within the fields of AI, connectivity, vitality, and actual property, illustrating a shared willingness to maneuver from phrases to motion. Within the face of rising world financial uncertainty, individuals positioned financial governance and the efficient implementation of the AfCFTA on the high of the agenda, with a robust conviction: solely a structured dialogue between governments and companies will unlock Africa’s full potential. The twelfth version of the Africa CEO Discussion board concluded in the present day in Abidjan, gathering greater than 2,800 enterprise leaders, traders, and public decision-makers from 90 nations underneath the theme: “Can a New Public-Non-public Deal Reshape the Continent’s Future?” Over the course of two days, individuals explored methods to strengthen collaboration between the private and non-private sectors to spice up Africa’s financial development.
Discussions centered on three key pillars: enhancing financial governance, optimizing public coverage, and accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA). These priorities intention to create a extra favorable surroundings for funding, encourage innovation, and drive deeper financial integration throughout the continent.
One of many Discussion board’s highlights was the presidential panel, which introduced collectively a number of heads of state, together with Presidents Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), Bassirou Diomaye Faye (Senegal), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (Mauritania), and Paul Kagame (Rwanda). President Ramaphosa emphasised the significance of sturdy public-private partnerships for Africa’s improvement and integration, stressing the necessity for elevated collaboration to handle in the present day’s financial challenges.
A number of agreements had been signed in the course of the Discussion board, with complete commitments estimated at over $200 million:
ACCESS Financial institution x DEG
Signing of a $100 million facility between Entry Financial institution Plc and a consortium of main improvement finance establishments, led by DEG.
Goal: Help Nigerian SMEs and girls entrepreneurs. Focus areas: development financing, financial inclusion, and gender equality. Prime Minister’s Workplace of Côte d’Ivoire x Make investments Worldwide (Netherlands)
Two tasks signed:
Improvement of two,000 hectares of rice fields in Songon, together with a plant to transform rice waste into biodegradable packaging. Agricultural waste sorting, assortment, and recycling mission targeted on cocoa manufacturing within the southwest of Côte d’Ivoire.
IFC X Group Duval X Proparco
Tripartite partnership introduced to assist sustainable, mixed-use building in Abidjan. Targets: meet the rising demand for workplace, retail, and serviced condominium area; create jobs; and increase the enterprise tourism and hospitality sectors.
BRVM x Africa50
Memorandum of understanding signed to mobilize regional financial savings for infrastructure improvement throughout the WAEMU zone. Devices: mission bonds and monetary merchandise issued through BRVM to draw long-term traders (pension funds, institutional and personal traders). Statements from Alain Ebobissé (Africa50) and Dr. Edoh Kossi Amenounvé (BRVM) highlighted monetary innovation and African monetary sovereignty.
Schneider Electrical
Two agreements signed:
With 3MD Power: improve medium-voltage electrical distribution for industrial use. With Good Power: partnership on coaching, vitality audits, and sustainable digital options.
Amir Ben Yahmed, CEO of Jeune Afrique Media Group and president of the Africa CEO Discussion board, said: “For this twelfth version, the Africa CEO Discussion board as soon as once more enabled a gathering not like another on the continent, bringing collectively private and non-private decision-makers from throughout Africa and past. The message we now have emphasised for the reason that discussion board’s inception has gained floor: in an period marked by financial and geopolitical uncertainty, Africa should unleash the facility of its non-public sector to chart its personal course. It’s now as much as public decision-makers to supply them with the means to succeed.”
“The Africa CEO Discussion board has develop into a key platform for shaping and scaling options that empower the non-public sector,” stated IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop. “These vary from revolutionary monetary instruments—like native forex financing—to main initiatives that unlock high-potential funding alternatives, equivalent to the brand new community of African funding promotion companies launched at this twelfth version. We’re proud to assist efforts that assist African corporations understand their full potential.”
Concerning the Africa CEO Discussion board
Based in 2012, the Africa CEO Discussion board is the main platform devoted to the CEOs of Africa’s largest corporations and multinationals, traders, heads of state, ministers, and representatives of key monetary establishments energetic throughout the continent. The Discussion board supplies a high-level area for networking, expertise sharing, and evaluation of the tendencies shaping the enterprise world. Its annual summit goals to supply concrete, revolutionary options to advance the continent and its non-public sector. The Africa CEO Discussion board was created by Jeune Afrique Media Group and is co-organized by the Worldwide Finance Company (IFC),, a member of the World Financial institution Group.
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Extra information: https://www.theafricaceoforum.com/forum-2025/en/
About IFC
The Worldwide Finance Company (IFC), a member of the World Financial institution Group, is the biggest world improvement establishment targeted on the non-public sector in rising markets. Working in over 100 nations, it leverages its capital, experience, and affect to create markets and alternatives in creating economies. In fiscal 12 months 2024, IFC dedicated a document $56 billion to non-public corporations and monetary establishments in creating nations, deploying non-public sector options and mobilizing non-public capital to finish excessive poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet.
Be taught extra at www.ifc.org
Observe IFC on social media
Press Contacts
ACF: Soukaina Harti – s.harti@euneafrique.com
IFC: Abdoul Maiga – Regional Communications Officer for West and Central Africa – amaiga7@ifc.org
