The Africa CEO Forum 2025 is the continent’s premier annual gathering dedicated to the African private sector. The event is scheduled for May 12–13, 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and will bring together over 2,000 CEOs, heads of state, ministers, investors, and business leaders from Africa and around the world.
Key Themes and Objectives
The central focus of the 2025 edition is “Can a New Deal Between State and Private Sector Deliver the Continent a Winning Hand?” This theme reflects the urgent need to rethink and strengthen collaboration between governments and the private sector to drive sustainable development and economic resilience across Africa.
Core Objectives
- Facilitate high-level networking among Africa’s most influential business and political leaders.
- Explore new business opportunities and foster an environment conducive to investment and transactions.
- Provide strategic insights from top consulting firms to guide decision-making for African businesses.
- Debate pressing issues such as economic volatility, reduced development aid, debt servicing challenges, youth employment, digital transformation, and industrialization.
Participants and Format
The forum will host over 1,800–2,000 participants, including African and international CEOs, heads of state, ministers, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Notable attendees in 2025 include five African heads of state: Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (Mauritania), and Bassirou Diomaye Faye (Senegal).
The program consists of two days of conferences, debates, workshops, and networking sessions designed to foster dialogue and actionable partnerships between public and private sector leaders.
Strategic Importance
The Africa CEO Forum is recognized as the largest annual event for Africa’s private sector, playing a pivotal role in shaping the continent’s business agenda and promoting African business champions.
The event is co-organized with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, underscoring its commitment to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction through private sector empowerment.
The forum serves as a platform for advocating reforms, promoting good governance, and encouraging sustainable business models to attract investment and nurture entrepreneurship.
