Africa's most influential business leaders are coming together to decide how to protect the continent's interests at the Africa CEO Forum 2019 in Kigali

African business leaders will convene at the Africa CEO Forum 2019.
One of their goals is to make the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) a powerful driver for private sector growth and the emergence of new African champions.
The event will attract 1,500 decision-makers from industry, finance, politics and other participants across Africa.

Africa’s most influential business leaders have decided to come together and make their voices heard as they will be convening at the Africa CEO Forum 2019.

Africa CEO Forum, in its 7th edition, will bring to the fore various burning issues and address ways to make African economic integration a reality.

AFRICA CEO FORUM LOGO AFRICA CEO FORUM LOGO Pulse Nigeria

Abdoul Maïga, media consultant of the event, in a statement made available to Business Insider Sub-Saharan Africa on Tuesday, said, their goal “is to make the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) a powerful driver for private sector growth and the emergence of new African champions.”

Numerous prominent figures are expected to lead the debate through their own insights, including Philippe Le Houérou, Executive Vice President and CEO of IFC; Jim Ovia, Founder and President of Zenith Bank; Nadia Fettah, CEO of Saham Finances; Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines; Ibukun Awosika, President of First Bank of Nigeria; Patrick Njoroge, Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya; Naguib Sawiris, Executive Chairman of OTMT; Christina Foerster, CEO of Brussels Airlines.

Obasanjo and Zimbabwe president, Emmerson Mnangagwa at the presidential panel during 2018 Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Tuesday, March 27, 2018 ece-auto-gen

Also in attendance will be Abdulsamad Rabiu, Executive Chairman of BUA Group; Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank; Kuseni Dlamini, Chairman of Massmart ; Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali; Jean-Kacou Diagou, President of NSIA; Manuel Mota, CEO of Mota Engil; Habiba Laklalech, Deputy CEO of Royal Air Maroc; Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank; Junior Ngulube, CEO of Sanlam Emerging Markets ; Grégory Clemente, CEO of Proparco; Issad Rebrab, President of Cevital; Abderrahmane Benhamadi, CEO of Condor; Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Africa Middle East; Joshua Oigara, CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank Group, and Amy Jadesimi, CEO of Ladol.

What to expect:

- The event will unite its 1,500 participants around a real agenda for transformation.

- There will be about forty panel discussions, case studies, testimonies, public-private workshops and thematic working groups, where business leaders will come to grips with these key topics while continuing to explore the other major challenges for the development of Africa’s private sector, such as women leaders’ access to the boardroom, the growth potential of Africa’s tourism industry, banking penetration in the digital age, regional agribusiness markets, and the governance of family firms.

- Discussions will also centre around how to mobilise the private sector around cross-border infrastructure and logistical projects taking insights from the East African Community – considered the most successful regional model.

- How a united Africa must do to better protect its interests and industries.