• Reactions and Impressions of Leaders Who Attended the Africa CEO Forum 2026

A major summit bringing together top business leaders, Heads of State, investors, and policymakers in Africa, known as the Africa CEO Forum 2026, was held in the city of Kigali. The forum focused on how Africa can accelerate economic growth through collaboration among countries, companies, and African investors.

The event took place on May 14 and 15, 2026, and attracted around 2,800 participants, including business executives, investors, Heads of State, and ministers from more than 75 countries in Africa and beyond. This year’s theme was “The Scale Imperative: Why Africa Must Embrace Shared Ownership,” emphasizing that Africa needs to work together and share investments in order to compete effectively in the global market.

Among the prominent leaders who attended the summit were President Paul Kagame, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President Daniel Chapo, and President Mamadi Doumbouya.

Participants discussed several challenges that continue to slow Africa’s economic growth, including limited intra-African investment, fragmented markets, barriers to cross-border trade, and the fact that many African companies remain small compared to those on other continents.

The discussions also emphasized the continued implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, aimed at facilitating trade and helping African businesses expand across the continent.

Speakers noted that Africa has enormous opportunities, but those opportunities cannot be fully realized if countries continue to operate individually.

The forum discussions focused on investment in infrastructure, energy, technology, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. Investors and government officials stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors in order to help Africa build globally competitive companies.

The leadership of Rwanda Development Board stated that hosting the forum was a major opportunity for Rwanda to continue positioning itself as a hub for investment and trade in Africa.

Special sessions dubbed “Invest in Rwanda” were also organized to showcase the country’s investment opportunities. Business leaders attending the summit emphasized that the time has come for Africa to build strong local companies, encourage joint investment, and operate as a single market. They said that “Scale or Fail” was a powerful message showing that Africa must work together if it wants to have a stronger voice on the global stage.

In an interview with BTN Rwanda, the Managing Director of KPMG Rwanda, Wilson Kaindi, said it was extremely valuable to engage with people who possess ideas and experience capable of shaping Africa’s future. He added that the discussions addressed real business challenges and focused on finding practical solutions and turning ideas into action.

Kaindi further explained that this was his first time attending the Africa CEO Forum, and he was highly impressed by the emphasis on moving beyond words toward concrete action. According to him, participants agreed that there is a need for realistic and investable projects.

Wilson Kaindi also praised the organizers of the Africa CEO Forum, especially Rwanda, for once again demonstrating professionalism and excellence in hosting a major international event.

This year’s theme focused on how Africa can expand its activities and rise to the global stage. Although Africa has enormous opportunities, those opportunities alone are not enough for the continent to achieve the level of development it aspires to reach.

He added that coordinated actions implemented on a large scale are necessary for Africa to secure its rightful place in the global economy. Greater cooperation and complementarity among African countries are also essential.

Because Rwanda has a growing economy and an investment-friendly environment, the country has a strong opportunity to continue its journey toward economic success at both the national and continental levels.

African policymakers were urged to work together and learn from one another so that the continent can achieve an economic level comparable to other regions of the world.

 

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