Africa’s Economic Future in Focus as CEOs Meet in Abidjan

Addis Ababa, May 12, 2025 (ENA) ---The 2025 edition of the Africa CEO Forum will gather 2,000 CEOs, investors and public sector leaders from over 75 countries in Abidjan from May 12 - 13.

The Forum is the continent’s premier gathering, bringing together Africa's top executives, global investors, and government leaders each year.

In a challenging global economic backdrop marked by rising protectionism, reduced development aid and high debt-serving costs, the Forum will tackle the prospect of a ‘New Deal’ to strengthen the relationship between governments and businesses in Africa.

It’s an agenda that reflects the urgent need for innovative approaches to development based on strong governance, incentive-based industrial policies, and reinforced trade integration.

The Forum unfolds against a challenging global economic backdrop marked by rising protectionism, reduced development aid and high debt-serving costs. Yet growing opportunities for South-South trade and investment offer new opportunities for African businesses to expand and innovate across the African continent and beyond.

Organized by Jeune Afrique Media group and co-hosted and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Forum will bring together 2,000 business representatives and government leaders to drive actionable solutions to these challenges and opportunities.

Under the theme “Can a New Deal Between State and Private Sector Deliver the Continent a Winning Hand?”, the forum will focus on optimizing public-private collaboration to advance sustainable development.

Discussions will center on three key pillars to that agenda: enhancing governance, refining public policies, and accelerating the AfCFTA. Through innovation and collaboration, the Forum aims to strengthen Africa’s economic position on the global stage.

Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum, said: "The current transactional environment gives Africa the ultimate incentive to remove the barriers still holding back its private sector, as no other alternative can match its adaptive speed, innovative capacity, and strategic agility. This is the core mission of the Africa CEO Forum, and we will continue to champion this vision together."

The Africa CEO Forum will serve as a platform for high-level debates, negotiations, and workshops, tackling topics such as AI-powered governance, the future of African energy, supply chain resilience, and the evolving role of local financing in an era where development aid is diminishing.