This article was produced with the support of Africa Collective
Africa Collective will convene its flagship programme on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos from 19 to 22 January 2026, bringing together key decision-makers from business, investment communities and government to engage in discussions of strategic importance to Africa’s economic future. This year’s programme is guided by the theme Fuelling Africa’s Next Leap: Harnessing Trade, Investment, Infrastructure and Technology for Growth, emphasising the connection between the continent’s physical and digital infrastructure and its trade and investment ambitions.
The Davos 2026 presence, co-created with partners including Novartis, Old Mutual, Ventures Platform and 885 Capital, showcases Africa’s economic leadership and ambition while opening new pathways for collaboration with global partners. The agenda will unpack high–priority growth themes, including enabling transformative physical and digital infrastructure, building digital ecosystems, attracting strategic investment into key sectors, further advancing regional integration and policy harmonisation under the AfCFTA, strengthening global competitiveness and reaffirming healthcare as a pillar for resilient and prosperous African economies.
This year’s discussions take place against the backdrop of a historic moment for the continent. Following a year marked by shifting geopolitics, global trade pressures and pronounced fragmentation in the international community, the G20 and B20 summits were hosted on African soil for the first time. This milestone placed Africa at the centre of global policy and economic dialogue and highlighted a more stable, climate-resilient and sustainable world is tied to Africa’s growth story.
Propelled by the momentum of last year’s Davos and subsequent engagements across the continent and internationally, including the Africa CEO Forum, African Medical Centre of Excellence launch, Afreximbank Annual Meetings, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025, the Nigeria Economic Summit, the Africa Prosperity Summit and the B20 Summit in Johannesburg, this year’s programme reflects Africa’s readiness to shape its own narrative on global platforms and be at the forefront of solutions, opportunities and innovation worldwide.
What’s New in the 2026 Programme
Several enhancements have been introduced to strengthen ideation, collaboration and actionable outcomes. The Africa Collective Idea Labs will provide a platform for brainstorming and launching new ideas for partners, ensuring conversations extend beyond Davos. New Deal Rooms will offer structured matchmaking and acceleration for investment-ready projects, while an expanded networking agenda, including the Africa Collective Open Mixer and various private Partner gatherings over breakfast, lunch and dinner, will build on the annual networking cocktail evening and create additional channels for meaningful engagement.
Inside the Africa Collective Davos Agenda
The 2026 agenda opens on 19 January with a Media Reception on “Global Storytelling in the Digital Age: Building Connections Across a Fragmented Media Landscape”, followed by an Africa Collective Partner Reception.
The second day will be headlined by the Opening Session, “Africa’s Path to Strategic Trade, Finance and Digital Transformation in a Changing Global Order”, co-created with Host Partner Afreximbank. An Africa Collective Ventures Circle Lunch will explore “Real Investment Returns in African VC”, co-created with Ventures Platform. The day’s agenda also features a Thematic session on the Digital economy.
Day three includes “The Role of African Multilateral Financial Institutions in Catalysing Investment into the Continent” and a health-focused session co-created with Novartis titled “Africa Collective Healthcare Circle: Strengthening African Health Architecture – Innovation in Finance, Technology and Policy”.
The programme closes on day four with the High-Level Closing & Outlook Lunch, reflecting on the week’s discussions under the overarching theme “Fuelling Africa’s Next Leap: Harnessing Trade, Investment, Infrastructure and Technology for Growth”.
A defined space for Africa’s agenda: Inside the Africa Collective house
Africa Collective will host its activities at the Africa Collective House inside the Hard Rock Hotel Davos, providing a week-long permanent space for amplifying Africa’s agenda in Davos. The Africa Collective Open Atrium will serve as an informal welcome area outside the Africa Collective Pavilion, where high-level panels and receptions form part of the main Africa Collective Davos 2026 programme. The Africa Collective Lounge offers a warm environment for partners and members to meet and host selected event formats, while the Africa Collective Suites serve as private meeting rooms for partner engagements. The historic Chapel at Hard Rock Hotel will once again host the High-Level Closing & Outlook Luncheon.
A year of reinvention and growth
The 2026 presence marks the first Davos engagement since Africa Collective consolidated its activities under a single, unified brand and introduced expanded focus areas aimed at strengthening Africa’s role in global dialogue. Launched in October 2025, the expanded platform reinforces Africa Collective as a global–Africa convening initiative that amplifies African leadership, innovation and influence on key international stages.
Africa Collective Circles, spanning infrastructure, healthcare, ventures and culture, serve as dedicated communities fostering collaboration across strategic sectors and are supported by year-round convenings and thought leadership.
This growing portfolio now includes Africa Collective Geneva, the largest annual gathering and platform in Switzerland for doing business in and with Africa. This event brings together over 350 participants annually; and is home to the Swiss-African Business Day and the global–African Cocktail Reception.
The Africa Collective Leadership Council expanded in 2025 with the addition of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, Chief Executive Officer, Naspers South Africa and Executive Director, Naspers Ltd; Luvuyo Masinda, Chief Executive Officer of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Bank Group; and Kola Aina, Founding Partner of Ventures Platform. They join Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat; Professor Benedict Oramah, former president and chairman of the board of directors, Afreximbank; Lutz Hegemann, President, Global Health and Swiss Country Affairs, Novartis; Larry Madowo, international correspondent, CNN; and Biola Alabi, venture investor at Acasia, in strengthening the long-term strategic vision of the platform.
Looking beyond Davos
Through cross-industry collaboration, Africa Collective remains committed to advancing solutions across critical infrastructure, trade and industrialisation, healthcare access and profiling the continent’s venture capital landscape. As a membership organisation, it ensures that dialogue leads to ongoing collaboration.
Members benefit from continued participation in Africa Collective Circles, calendar events across the continent and strategic engagements in Switzerland, that sustain progress throughout the year. Switzerland plays a key role in international diplomacy with major global institutions and negotiations based there, while also serving as an important trading hub that connects European and global markets. As a centre for international finance, it brings access to global capital, corporate headquarters and investors that help move partnerships forward beyond the meeting room.
Davos serves as a key milestone within a much broader agenda. Africa Collective will carry forward partnerships, projects and conversations into Africa Collective Geneva in June 2026 and during events our partners organise on the continent throughout the year including Biashara Afrika in Lomé in March 2026, and the Intra-African Trade Fair in Lagos in 2027, as well as other global convenings aligned with the continent’s economic priorities.