The Africa Business Forum (ABF) 2026 has ended in Addis Ababa with a strong call for bold, long-term investments to unlock the continent’s innovation potential and drive inclusive, job-rich growth.
Organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on the margins of the African Union Summit, the Forum was held under the theme: “Financing the Future of Africa: Jobs and Innovation for Sustainable Transformation.”
The high-level gathering brought together Heads of State, business leaders, policymakers and development financiers to chart new pathways for sustainable industrialisation and market integration across the continent.
Participants agreed that Africa’s fast-growing population, particularly its youthful demographic, represents a strategic economic opportunity.
However, they stressed that unlocking this potential would require risk-tolerant, growth-oriented capital anchored in research, innovation and strong entrepreneurial ecosystems rather than continued reliance on aid.
Central to the discussions was the need to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive structural transformation. Leaders emphasised that integrated regional value chains, harmonised regulations and lower capital costs were essential to fostering cross-border enterprise growth and sustainable job creation.
The Forum also launched a Jobs Wall Commitment Tracker to monitor and showcase job pledges from both the public and private sectors, aimed at strengthening accountability and measuring impact.
Ethiopia’s President, Taye Atske Selassie, highlighted his country’s efforts to create employment for young people through innovation and startups.
He urged African countries to accelerate agricultural transformation, support youth and women-led enterprises, and fast-track AfCFTA integration to advance sustainable development.
He noted that Africa’s transformation must be tangible, reflected in factories that create jobs, farms that add value, digital platforms that expand market access, and creative industries that convert youth talent into productive human capital.
Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Salah Ahmed Jama, outlined reforms underway in his country, including the rollout of a national identification system and policies linking education and industrial development to market demand.
He said Somalia is leveraging its livestock and fisheries value chains which contribute about seven per cent to its economy to create jobs, supported by efforts to stabilise the country under a “silencing the guns” agenda.
Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Claver Gatete, said that although global capital had become more selective, Africa remained well-positioned as a future growth frontier.
“With the world’s youngest workforce, rapid urbanisation, expanding digital adoption and growing consumer markets, Africa is already undergoing structural transformation,” he said, citing AfCFTA’s creation of a single market of more than 1.5 billion people as a major milestone.
Speakers pointed to emerging success stories across the continent, including youth-led cocoa processing in Côte d’Ivoire, automotive value chain development in Morocco and expanding digital payments ecosystems in Ethiopia, as signs that Africa was beginning to export value-added products rather than raw commodities.
Key recommendations from the Forum included reshaping Africa’s risk narrative to unlock affordable, long-term capital; mobilising domestic resources; and establishing de-risking facilities to attract investment into small and medium-sized enterprises and productive sectors.
Leaders also called for financing models that integrate infrastructure, industrial value chains, digital markets and green energy systems to ensure durable employment outcomes. There was strong consensus that women’s economic participation must be institutionalised as a core pillar of transformation.
In addition, participants underscored the importance of leveraging digital technology and artificial intelligence to strengthen education systems, improve data governance and guide evidence-based investment decisions, while aligning universities and skills training with market needs.
The Forum concluded that Africa’s transformation would depend on financing its own future, investing in people, ideas and innovation and building partnerships that align capital flows with the continent’s priorities and long-term development goals.
