Luanda:This year’s Africa Financial Summit (AFIS), scheduled from November 3 to 4 in Luanda, Angola, aims to deepen financial integration and capital mobilization across the continent. Hicham Al Marabet, Director of AFIS, announced that the event will focus on strengthening Africa’s financial sector.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the summit will be co-hosted by the World Bank and Jeune Afrique. It will explore ways to enable the financial sector to provide necessary financing for the real economy, supporting sustainable economic development. AFIS is transforming from a conventional summit into a platform for partnerships and deal-making among financial stakeholders.
The summit will address finance reaching the real market, helping the private sector scale with purpose, and examining technology and integration on African terms. Converting African savings into investments is also a priority.
Dafe Oraka of the International Finance Corporation described AFIS as a platform for shaping Africa’s financial future, aiming to mobilize private capital for job creation and support Africa’s development. Hosting the summit in Angola marks the first time it takes place in a Lusophone country, enhancing regional integration and cross-border investments.
Oraka noted that Africa faces a significant financing gap, despite available capital. SMEs and infrastructure financing alone require over $400 billion in sub-Saharan Africa. The summit will help connect capital with businesses and infrastructure projects to support productive sectors and job creation.
AFIS, now in its sixth year, is recognized as Africa’s main annual event for defining the continent’s financial future. It provides opportunities for Nigerian banks to demonstrate their leadership in expanding Africa’s financial capacity. The 2025 summit attracted over 1,200 participants from more than 60 countries, including high-level officials and leaders, and featured numerous sessions and business meetings.