Unstoppable Africa 2025 Agenda

Join a trailblazer who is redefining the world of sport: Ms. Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected President of the International Olympic Committee. Ms. Coventry, a Zimbabwean sports icon and the first woman and African to lead the IOC, brings a wealth of experience as both an athlete and a visionary leader who has a passion for breaking barriers and empowering the next generation of African sports stars. She will share her unswerving belief that sport can be a powerful catalyst for change, inspiring hope and possibility across the continent and beyond. 

Africa’s emergence as a pivotal player in global markets is reshaping the dynamics of South-South cooperation. This panel will examine how African nations can harness these partnerships to strengthen business and trade ties amid volatility and shifting power balances. Take the expansion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for example, which promises a 45% increase in intra-African trade by 2045. As global alliances diversify, Africa is leveraging its agency to negotiate better terms, foster regional value chains, and attract investment in key industries such as green energy and manufacturing. The discussion will focus on actionable strategies to deepen South-South ties, promote resilience, and position Africa as a leader in the new multipolar order.

Scene Setter: Fireside Chat with H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President, Republic of Sierra Leone & Chairman of ECOWAS, in conversation Dr. Vera Songwe, Founder and Chair, Liquidity and Sustainability Facility

Strive Masiyiwa, the visionary founder of Econet Group, joins us for a deep exploration of Africa’s future role in the global AI race—emphasizing infrastructure, ethical deployment, talent pipelines, and startup enablement. Strive will outline pathways for Africa to shape inclusive, homegrown AI solutions and world-class businesses that transform both local and global markets, leaving no one behind.

ntroducing Shirley Gwenzi, a young innovator from Zimbabwe who’s on a mission to change the way small businesses access both credit and clean energy. She is the co-founder of SoshoPay, a fintech and renewable energy startup that’s opening new doors for micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Presented in partnership with timbuktoo

This high-level panel - convened by the Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC) of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) - brings together a dynamic group of African and global business leaders to explore how coordinated private-sector action can unlock investment, drive climate and gender equality, and create new business opportunities. The focus is on strategic dealmaking, cross-border partnerships, and the role of business networks and platforms in accelerating impact and growth—moving beyond sustainability metrics to real-world business opportunities, investment flows, and scalable solutions for a sustainable business future.

Now a staple of every Unstoppable Africa, the ‘Panel of the Future’ launches UA2025’s Digital Transformation segment with a dynamic panel that delves into Africa’s vast innovation potential and the urgency of translating tech-driven strategies into real-world progress to shape the continent’s future. Leading African and global experts will share solutions to empower Africa as a creator-not just a consumer-of digital technology.

In 2025, African cities and US sub-national leaders face similar challenges: creating jobs, driving industrialization, and building inclusive economies. This cross-continental session invites mayors and governors to compare notes on strategies for smart city growth—drawing on green industries, digital transformation, and creative economies. The panel highlights how collaboration, talent exchange, and entrepreneurial innovation are reshaping city development. Expect vibrant dialogue, practical lessons, and shared insights on how local leadership can unlock private sector success and resilient economic futures.

Scene Setter: Mr. Fred Swaniker, Founder & CEO, Sand Technologies

Few stories in politics are as remarkable as that of Africa's youngest elected leader. “Diomaye” as he is mononymously known, is the tax inspector turned politician, turned president. His meteoric rise caught the world’s attention and inspired young Africans. Skilled in combat sports such as Kung Fu and Vovinam and known as a calm and thoughtful listener, President Faye has never held elected office before. In this fireside chat he will articulate his vision for driving economic growth and creating jobs as well as his ambitious $1.7bn plan for digital sovereignty. 

Experience a dynamic panel discussion that brings together visionary leaders to explore how African tech companies and innovators can forge powerful connections with U.S. tech and investor communities. This engaging session will uncover strategies to link Africa’s thriving tech ecosystems with U.S. innovation, expertise, and capital—opening doors to cross-border collaboration, investment, and transformative knowledge exchange. Expect rich insights on attracting U.S. investors, navigating cultural and market differences, and cultivating sustainable partnerships that can propel Africa’s tech landscape toward greater global influence and lasting impact. 

Africa’s sporting talent continues to captivate the world, with athletes breaking records and excelling on the global stage in football, athletics, basketball, and more. Yet, Africa’s $12b sports industry—set to grow to $20b by 2035—remains full of untapped economic potential. This panel will examine how leveraging athlete success and investing in grassroots talent can transform the continent’s sports sector, spurring local businesses, global brands, and youth employment. Join star athletes, investors, and business leaders for actionable strategies and fresh perspectives on Africa’s sports future.

Please welcome Lindiwe Mutungamiri—a Zimbabwean-born computer scientist, entrepreneur, and global health innovator. As Founder and CEO of eighty-nine, she is pioneering ethical AI and inclusive healthcare solutions across Africa and the U.S., shaping frameworks where technology, equity, and youth-driven innovation transform the future of global health.

Presented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation

Meet Silas Adekunle, the globally recognized AI pioneer and visionary entrepreneur who taught robots how to play. Best known for creating the world’s first intelligent gaming robot, Silas seamlessly bridges the digital and physical worlds, launching a new category at the intersection of robotics and entertainment. His journey from inventive engineer to successful business founder is a masterclass in transforming complex AI into globally acclaimed products. Silas’s story embodies the unstoppable spirit of African innovation, proving the continent’s entrepreneurs can define and lead the future of intelligent technology.

In 2023, Econet’s Strive Masiyiwa and Google’s James Manyika engaged in a groundbreaking conversation on Africa’s role in the AI revolution. Two years later, they reunite to reflect on what has changed—and what lies ahead. Since then, Google has expanded its AI research and tools across Africa, while Masiyiwa’s companies have driven major investments in digital infrastructure and connectivity—laying foundations that could propel the continent in the global AI race. In this dynamic fireside chat, they will chart how Africa can move from consuming AI to shaping it: scaling homegrown innovation, building robust talent pipelines, powering startups with access to computing, and developing AI-driven enterprises that compete not just locally, but worldwide.

Africa’s creative industries are no longer emerging—they are commanding global attention. Across music, film, and the visual arts, leading African talents and cultural entrepreneurs are shaping conversations, driving influence, and opening new pathways for the continent’s creative economy. This session brings together acclaimed artists, executives, and storytellers to explore how African creativity translates into both cultural impact and economic opportunity. The discussion will unpack how talent, business, and cultural ecosystems interconnect—what it takes to grow Africa’s creative industries, how international collaborations can scale impact, and why sustained investment in training, policy, and infrastructure is critical.

Get ready for a game-changing moment at Unstoppable Africa 2025 as we launch the GABI Women Fashion Leaders’ Platform, powered by the Global Africa Business Initiative. This event kicks off with a dynamic panel featuring African Fashion trailblazers. Together, they’ll unpack how women are reshaping sustainable fashion and cross-regional trade from Africa to Asia. Then, witness the onstage launch of this bold new platform set to supercharge women-led fashion businesses across the Global South. Don’t miss this high-energy celebration of creativity, collaboration, and unstoppable ambition! 

In the final session of Unstoppable Africa 2025 will welcome an eclectic selection of dynamic speakers to the stage to crystallise the essence of the two days of forum and what they will do to make Africa Unstoppable!

Multi-talented Afrobeats legend Tiwa Savage brings Unstoppable Africa 2025 to a spectacular finish! With powerful vocals and electric stagecraft, she celebrates Africa’s unity, ambition, and legacy—reminding all that this continent’s rhythm is unbreakable. Her closing anthem is a vibrant rallying cry: Africa is fearless, bold, and its future is limitless. As the lights dim, Tiwa’s message soars—Africa’s journey is just beginning, and together, its people are truly unstoppable!

Event Space: Accra/Addis Ababa

This session is curated by: Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) 

The high level dialogue brings together Africa’s foremost CEOs to examine strategies that will empower the private sector to sustain inclusive growth and prosperity, and make the most of opportunities for Africa, under the present geopolitical context. The discussion will focus on the urgent need to accelerate industrialization across Africa to reach self-sufficiency in critical sectors, as well as the importance of creating policy environments that foster private sector participation as invaluable partners to Africa’s growth. By addressing these critical issues, the Roundtable aims to strengthen the resilience of African economies and enhance the private sector’s contribution to the continent’s long-term success.

Event Space: Accra

This session is curated by: US Chamber of Commerce

This session will bring together African Ministers, senior U.S. Government officials, and private sector leaders to explore how Africa's critical mineral reserves can drive the global energy transition, power advanced technologies, and foster sustainable development. Guided by the U.S. Chamber’s White Paper, the discussion will focus on de-risking private investment, aligning U.S. policy with African development goals, and building resilient, transparent supply chains. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape a commercially grounded and mutually beneficial U.S.-Africa minerals agenda.

Event Space: Addis Ababa

This session is curated by: Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC)

The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC) is a pioneering pan-African, CEO-led coalition convened by the UN Global Compact (UNGC) to tackle the continent’s most pressing challenges, with a focus on climate action and gender equality. Bringing together 70+ of Africa’s largest companies (representing ~$170B+ in annual revenue, ~1M employees and operations in 52 countries), the ABLC aims to be the voice of the African private sector, leveraging its substantial convening power to influence policy, enhance partnership, and shape the future of the continent. This closed-door roundtable will provide a high-touch, informal space for ABLC CEOs to engage with the AUC, and each other, to tackle challenges and seize the opportunities related to trade and regulations on the continent.

Event Space: Gaborone

This session is curated by: Sustainable Energy For All / Foward7 Initiative of Saudi Arabia

Formerly known as 'Empowering Africa' An Initiative of Forward7 

Clean cooking isn’t just a household issue—it’s a public health imperative, a gender equity driver, and an untapped climate solution. From schools and clinics to street vendors and market kitchens, millions of institutions and livelihoods across Africa still rely on polluting fuels, limiting opportunity and accelerating environmental harm.

This high-level session will spotlight how clean cooking solutions, designed for community-scale and commercial use, can unlock massive gains across health, education, employment, and climate resilience.
Hosted in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Forward7 Initiative, the session will elevate Global South leadership and the growing movement to make clean cooking a central pillar of national development strategies and global climate finance.

Event Space: Gaborone

This session is curated by: Sustainable Energy For All / Mission300

Access to affordable, timely financing remains one of the biggest bottlenecks for scaling renewable energy solutions in Africa.
Developers face fragmented financing landscapes, high transaction costs, and limited access to local currency funding. Financiers, on the other hand, struggle to identify bankable projects and deploy capital efficiently.
The Sustainable Energy Finance Developers Platform (SEF-DP) bridges this gap by acting as a matchmaking and deal-preparation marketplace. The platform will connect renewable energy developers with financiers through standardized project information, real-time engagement tools, and embedded support for early-stage project preparation. 

Showcasing the SEF-DP at the UNGA GABI side event highlights how digital solutions can accelerate project development cycles, reduce financing costs, and catalyze local currency financing, which is a critical factor in ensuring long-term project viability.

Event Space: Ouagadougou

This session is curated by: Sustainable Energy For All / Mission300

Africa’s critical minerals are fuelling a global race toward clean energy—but the real value lies beyond extraction. The traditional ‘pit-to-port’ paradigm must make way for Africa to build its own clean energy supply chains, from minerals to refining and processing to manufacturing key technologies, including batteries, solar modules, and electric vehicles. Spotlighting SEforALL’s Green Industrialization initiatives, this session explores how African governments and industry are taking bold steps to tap into the green industrialization opportunity—developing competitive, climate-smart manufacturing ecosystems that turn mineral wealth and resources into high-value commodities, creating quality jobs and fuelling industrialization.

Event Space: Ouagadougou

This session is curated by: Sustainable Energy For All / Mission300

Africa stands at the cusp of a transformative opportunity to position itself as a global leader in clean industrialisation. The continent possesses abundant renewable resources, growing markets, and a young workforce capable of powering a green economic transition. However, the challenge is to ensure this transition is sustainable, inclusive, and capable of building long-term prosperity.

Namibia has become a beacon of progress in this journey through the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P). The country has demonstrated how green hydrogen can act as a catalyst for green industrial clusters, enabling cross-border trade, clean
technology supply chains, and climate-resilient development. By aligning strategic investments with sustainable growth models, Namibia is offering a replicable pathway for other African countries.

The African Sustainable Industrialisation Institute (ASII) builds on this momentum. Conceived as a pan-African platform, ASII seeks to convene governments, investors, development partners, and knowledge institutions to accelerate the deployment of clean industrial clusters across the continent. This initiative is not only about scaling projects but also about ensuring African ownership, partnership, and resilience in a rapidly changing global economy.

Event Space: Casablanca

This session is curated by: Sustainable Energy For All / Mission300

Event Space: Accra/Addis Ababa

This session is curated by: Global Compact Network Caribbean

The Caribbean, home to many Small Island Developing States (SIDS), faces urgent climate and economic challenges, from rising sea levels to severe weather events. Yet the region is also a hub of innovation, resilience, and sustainable economic initiatives.

Hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Caribbean, this side event will showcase private-sector leadership, policy innovation, and community-driven solutions, offering a platform for governments, businesses, and global investors to unlock shared opportunities and create a sustainable, resilient future across the Global South.

The event will feature a high-level dialogue with the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of the Government of Barbados. Guest speakers such as Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and a panel discussion among Caribbean regional experts; CDB, PwC, The Government of Grenada, Afreximbank and the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator would also be part of the Forum.

Event Space: Accra/Addis Ababa

This session is curated by: US Chamber of Commerce

Join the U.S.-Africa Business Center's Life Science Task Force for a high-level event exploring Africa’s path to a resilient and sustainable health future. This discussion will highlight the critical intersection of health resilience, trade integration, and continental cooperation in fostering integrated markets, regional health technology production, and future-ready health systems. The event will focus on creating robust healthcare systems that ensure access to solutions addressing the full spectrum of health challenges. Dive into policies that strengthen the entire access ecosystem, spanning regulatory frameworks, trade policies, supply chain management, and health financing, to secure supply, enhance prevention and treatment, and promote regional collaboration within a global supply chain. 

Event Space: Ouagadougou

This session is curated by: ClimateWorks Foundation

ClimateWorks Foundation and the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Fund (OPSWF) Network are pleased to host a High-Level Roundtable on Driving Investment in Clean Energy Projects in Africa, taking place on Monday, September 22, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Marriott Marquis, New York, as part of the official Unstoppable Africa 2025 program.

This exclusive session will convene sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, development finance institutions, and philanthropic partners to explore concrete pathways for scaling private capital deployment in Africa’s clean energy transition. The discussion will spotlight actionable strategies for bridging financing gaps, fostering innovative partnerships, and building resilient infrastructure to meet Africa’s growing energy needs.

The roundtable will serve as a catalyst for collaboration to unlock investment opportunities and accelerate Africa’s path toward a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Event Space: Casablanca

This session is curated by: Africa Regional Hub - UN Global Compact

As global climate rules tighten, Africa’s exporters face both risks and opportunities. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), set for full implementation in 2026, will place a carbon price on key imports such as steel, cement, and fertilizers, sectors vital to Africa’s trade. With the EU as Africa’s largest trading partner, the stakes are high: CBAM could impact billions in exports, yet also catalyze low-carbon industrialization and green investment across the continent.

This high-level session at Unstoppable Africa 2025 will bring together African CEOs, investors, policymakers, and sustainability leaders to unpack CBAM’s implications, spotlight business leadership in decarbonization, and chart strategies to safeguard competitiveness. Join us to explore how Africa can turn regulatory challenges into opportunities, shape global climate policy, and position itself as a frontrunner in sustainable trade and growth.

Event Space: Gaborone

This session is curated by: Jeune Afrique/ACF

The cost of capital and debt for African projects and governments is too high. Debate has raged over the extent to which this risk premium is due to institutional bias or a true reflection of fundamental realities.

Whilst worthy efforts are underway to tackle institutional obstacles, with the launch of the Africa Credit Rating Agency and South Africa-led advocacy through the G20, interest rates today continue to hamper growth, and the opportunity cost rises for African economic advancement. Much like diplomacy is shifting towards realpolitik, African corporates and administrations should adopt an approach of market realism: don’t wait for an even playing field to improve Africa’s true and perceived fundamentals.

Event Space: Casablanca

This session is curated by: GABI - Action Pathway on Health 

This strategic roundtable of the GABI Action Pathway on Health supports reimagining Africa’s health systems as engines of economic resilience. It highlights Africa’s dual role in the global health economy and aims to shift from aid dependency to market-led opportunities that drive sustainable growth. By convening a select group of thought leaders, policy makers, health and wellness experts, scientists and academics, GABI seeks to secure strong stakeholder commitment to an Action Pathway on Health—a collaborative framework to define priority areas, foster partnerships, mobilize investment, and champion bold policy reform.

Event Space: Ouagadougou

This session is curated by: Bidvest

As a catalyst for Africa’s ports-driven economic and social transformation, Bidvest intends to utilize this interactive session to spotlight how visionary private sector leadership can turbocharge Africa’s sports economy, from grassroots to the global stage.

Event Space: Gaborone

This session is curated by: GABI - Action Pathway for Digital Transformation 

This strategic roundtable at Unstoppable Africa 2025 is the first bold step in GABI’s drive to establish digital innovation and transformation as pillars of Africa’s prosperity. The outcomes—a collective “statement of intent” and an actionable GABI Action Pathway for Digital Transformation—shall guide multi-sector collaboration, investment readiness, and practical reforms, addressing:
- Digital government and future-ready public services
- Inclusive digital infrastructure and connectivity
- Mass digital skilling and talent development
- Enabling regulatory environments for SMEs and the formalization wave
- Ethical AI, data governance, and digital sovereignty

Event Space: Accra/Addis Ababa

This session is curated by: UNDP

Africa stands at a historic inflection point. With the world’s youngest population, deepening regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and resilient business models emerging from every corner of the continent, Africa’s innovation economy is already one of the fastest growing globally.

Yet, the potential of Africa’s startups remains constrained by three systemic barriers:

1. Capital – The global venture capital “operating system” undervalues African startups, citing myths of limited exits, small markets, currency volatility, and so-called “risky founders.”

2. Policy & Regulation – Fragmented legal frameworks, bureaucratic hurdles, and uneven Startup Acts slow down scaling and discourage investment.

3. Visibility & Proof Points – Global investors and policymakers still lack direct exposure to the founders building scalable, investable, and impact-driven ventures across the continent.

At the same time, global development finance is undergoing transformation. The outcomes of FFD4 and the Sevilla Commitment call for bold, innovative instruments that can unlock private capital at scale, blending philanthropic, development, and commercial finance.

This GABI side event brings these strands together. For the first time at UNGA, policy, capital, and founders will converge in one integrated, interactive session. The event is designed as a high-energy, two-hour journey that shatters outdated narratives, co-creates solutions, and forges partnerships to drive the next phase of Africa’s innovation renaissance."

Event Space: Empire (7th Floor)

This session is curated by: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)

The world is converging around a new framework for partnership with Africa. One that is anchored in shared prosperity, powered by investment, and increasingly catalyzed by Africa’s domestic capital pools.

In this emerging paradigm, the Trump Administration’s Africa Strategy has pivoted away from Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other legacy aid
models, recognizing that investment – not aid – is the lever that can deliver a double dividend: structural transformation of Africa’s economies, and secure supply chains aligned with U.S. national security priorities. This rationale is driving U.S. commercial diplomacy initiatives in DRC and Rwanda, under the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF).

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) — an early mover in this investment-driven model — is demonstrating through its leadership of the Lobito Trans-
Africa Corridor development that African capital and project preparation expertise are critical to mobilizing foreign private investment at scale.

To advance this agenda, the AFC and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will co-convene a high-level private roundtable on the
sidelines of the 80th U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), with U.S. and African private sector leaders, African pension fund managers, and strategically aligned global partners.

The goal: to frame an actionable roadmap for de-risked U.S. and allied investment into Africa – with a focus on three strategic sectors
• Critical minerals – securing resilient supply chains for defense, AI, consumer electronics and EV batteries.
• Digital infrastructure – tapping into the world’s fastest-growing digital market.
• Transport corridors – unlocking critical mineral, energy and agricultural value chains that foster Africa’s industrialization and facilitate U.S. access.

This is not a policy dialogue — it is an execution-focused forum. Participants will engage directly with key decision-makers, explore financing opportunities, and shape a joint U.S.–Africa investment agenda capable of delivering competitive returns.