AfIC 2025 Launches in Nairobi With Strong Calls to Mobilize African Capital and Accelerate Investment Action
The Africa Investment Conference 2025 opened today in Nairobi, bringing together investors, policymakers, innovators and CFA charter holders to chart a more decisive course for Africa’s economic transformation. Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar delivered the keynote address, highlighting Kenya’s commitment to enabling investment-grade opportunities and strengthening the continent’s collective ability to mobilize capital at scale.
In his remarks, PS Abubakar underscored that Africa’s long-discussed potential has shifted into a phase of accelerated materialization, stating that “Africa’s moment is now.” He emphasized Kenya’s ongoing reforms to improve the investment climate through clearer regulations, predictable policies, modernized frameworks expanding innovation and Industrial Special Economic and Export Processing Zones. “Sustainable growth depends on sustained investment,” he said, adding that Kenya is “engineered for investment” and positioned to operate at regional and continental scale.
PS Abubakar also highlighted the proposed Draft Public–Private Sector Engagement Bill as a solution, explaining that it would bring Business Membership Organizations (BMOs) under a coordinated umbrella to streamline dialogue, reduce duplication strengthen collective advocacy. He clarified that the Bill is meant not to limit any association’s influence, but to create predictable, accountable structures that boost investor confidence and support Kenya’s shift toward private-investment–led growth.
Other speakers reinforced the urgency of action. Oyebanji Fehintola of the CFA Institute and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) stressed the need to turn Africa’s potential into investable opportunities backed by domestic capital. Citing AFC’s research, he noted that Africa has at least $4 trillion in domestic institutional capital, but continues to face a significant infrastructure gap requiring $150 billion annually. He warned that “every single dollar will only flow into well-governed, well-structured and well-managed markets,” calling for deeper technical expertise, transparent institutions stronger African talent.
Fehintola also reminded attendees that capital flight undermines investor confidence, saying, “If you are not investing here, what signal are you sending to the rest of the world about investing in Africa?” He underscored the need for domestic pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds to increase their participation in African assets.
CFA Society East Africa President Francis Nasyomba highlighted the barriers slowing intra-African trade and investment, pointing to fragmented policies and high logistics costs. He noted that inter-African trade remains at just 16% and remarked that “we cannot keep rising forever. At some point we have to soar.” Nasyomba urged participants to pursue concrete, individual contributions that collectively shift market dynamics, stating, “Now imagine if every single one of us did one thing… That would be 500 action points pushing the agenda of Africa investing in Africa.”
As the conference continues through tomorrow delegates are expected to outline tangible commitments and mechanisms for follow-up, as several speakers emphasized, from discussion to execution.
PS Abubakar closed with a call for bold, collaborative effort: “This is the Africa the world must reckon with. Confident, capable, youthful determined to chart its own economic path.” He reiterated Kenya’s readiness to lead and partner, noting that “Kenya is ready—ready to partner, ready to innovate, ready to lead.”
AfIC 2025 now sets the stage for a renewed wave of continental investment, driven by African institutions, African expertise and African ambition.