CEO Leadership Forum to Sets Stage for Africa’s Next Growth Chapter

The African CEO Leadership Forum scheduled to take place in Lagos has received strong backing from major multilateral institutions, including the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), alongside support from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Organisers say the endorsements reflect growing institutional alignment around the need to strengthen private-sector leadership as a driver of Africa’s long-term economic transformation.

Convened by the African Leadership Business School (ALBS), the forum is themed “Leading Africa Forward: Bold Vision, Lasting Impact” and is expected to bring together chief executives, policymakers, investors, and development partners to explore practical pathways for sustainable growth across the continent.

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According to the organisers, the 2026 edition is designed to move beyond discussion into actionable outcomes that align leadership decisions with Africa’s development priorities.

ALBS Chief Executive, Desmond Esorougwe, said the forum has evolved into a major platform for engagement between business leaders and policymakers across the continent.

“The African CEO Leadership Forum has become one of the continent’s most influential annual gatherings, where chief executives, policymakers, and global partners converge to shape Africa’s economic and governance future,” He added that the forum is deliberately structured to ensure conversations translate into measurable outcomes.

“This platform is not just about dialogue; it is about alignment and action. We are focused on turning ideas into commitments that support Africa’s long-term development goals,” Esorougwe stated.

Discussions at the forum will be anchored on five key thematic areas, including economic resilience and macroeconomic stability, innovation and digital transformation, trade and investment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), sustainable development and climate leadership, and governance and institutional reform.

The economic resilience track will focus on inflation pressures, currency volatility, debt sustainability, and capital mobilisation, while the innovation segment will examine the growing role of fintech, artificial intelligence, agritech, and healthtech in driving development.

On trade and investment, participants are expected to assess opportunities emerging from AfCFTA implementation, particularly around regional integration, supply chains, and intra-African commerce.

“Africa must move from fragmented markets to a truly integrated economic space if we are to unlock our full potential,” The governance track will also address issues of transparency, corporate ethics, and institutional accountability across both public and private sectors.

A key feature of the forum is its invitation-only structure, which organisers say is designed to bring together senior decision-makers capable of shaping policy and investment direction.

“We are curating a space where leaders can engage meaningfully without the noise, and where decisions can be influenced directly”. The forum will also feature the Africa CEO Leadership Award, which recognises business leaders and organisations driving transformation in challenging environments.

Organisers say the award is aimed at spotlighting leadership excellence that often goes unrecognised on global platforms.

With Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area continuing to expand into a unified market of over 1.4 billion people, the forum is expected to emphasise stronger coordination among leaders to accelerate growth and improve investment conditions. “The urgency now is not just to discuss Africa’s potential, but to activate it through leadership and collaboration.”

The CEO Leadership Forum is increasingly being positioned as a bridge between policy formulation and private-sector execution, with organisers stressing the need for stronger alignment to unlock sustainable economic progress across the continent.