The Africa CEO Forum

What The Africa CEO Forum does

The Africa CEO Forum is a Paris-headquartered event and networking platform founded in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group and permanently co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group. It convenes Africa's largest annual private-sector gathering — 2,800 participants in 2026 from 90+ countries, including heads of state, ministers, 1,000+ CEOs, and 100+ development finance institution leaders — through flagship summits held in rotating African host cities (Kigali in 2024 and 2026; Abidjan in 2023 and 2025). The core product surface spans the Annual Summit, the LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, and Development) pan-African governance fellowship, the Captains Magazine publication, year-round Digital Events (webinars on energy transition, country investment, and gender), an Insights editorial line, and the Africa CEO Forum Awards, alongside sub-brands targeting women in leadership (Women Working For Change), family business succession (Next Gen), and startups (Disrupters Club).

Underlying technology is conventional web and media infrastructure rather than proprietary software: a main website, ACF TV for panel replay and exclusive interviews, a webinar platform for digital events, and email/newsletter distribution. The organization has 101–250 employees and supports media partnerships with 20+ outlets including BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, CNBC Africa, and Jeune Afrique.

The business model is event-driven: revenue comes from summit registration fees and a tiered corporate sponsorship structure (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and lower tiers), supplemented by sponsorship of year-round digital events, the LEAD fellowship, and editorial products. Customers are segmented into CEOs and business leaders, government officials, development finance institutions, and international investors, with a public-private partnership structure anchored by the IFC co-hosting relationship that confers institutional credibility and stable recurring demand.

Name

The Africa CEO Forum

Legal name

Africa CEO Forum

Website

https://theafricaceoforum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Africa CEO Forum is a Paris-based event and networking platform founded in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group and permanently co-hosted by the IFC. It convenes Africa's largest annual private-sector summit (2,800 attendees from 90+ countries) and operates the LEAD governance fellowship, Captains Magazine, and year-round digital events serving CEOs, heads of state, and development finance leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Conferences & Networking

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Training, Enablement & Talent Development Summits (THAHAMAH)

Keywords

• Business networking events
• Corporate summit organization
• Executive conference platform
• African leadership programs
• Business intelligence publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Registration and Sponsorship: The organization generates revenue through event registration fees for summit participation and corporate sponsorship packages from companies seeking visibility among African business leaders and policymakers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Africa CEO Forum is a permanent platform that convenes African decision-makers through its flagship Annual Summit (Africa's largest private sector gathering with 2,000–2,800 participants), year-round digital events and webinars, an expert insights publication, and the LEAD pan-African governance initiative. It sells corporate sponsorship packages, event registrations, and fellowship access to facilitate business connections, knowledge exchange, and investment opportunities between African CEOs, heads of state, ministers, and international investors.

Product overview

The Africa CEO Forum is a permanent platform for African decision-makers offering a suite of interconnected products: its flagship Annual Summit (Africa's largest private sector event with 2,800+ participants), the LEAD governance initiative (supporting public sector reform through fellowship and community-building), the Captains magazine publication, year-round Digital Events including webinar series, an Insights publication featuring expert analysis, and the Africa CEO Forum Awards. Founded in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-hosted by IFC, these products work together to facilitate business connections, knowledge exchange, and investment opportunities across the African continent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit Africa's largest annual private sector event offering two days of conferences, debates, and high-level meetings dedicated to highlighting the driving role of the private sector in the continent's development. Audience: African and international CEOs, heads of state, ministers, and business leaders.
• LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, and Development) A fellowship-style program for high-level civil servants from 30+ African countries focused on leadership development, governance reform, and policy excellence through annual retreats, digital engagement, and policy publications.
• Captains Magazine Magazine publication featuring African business champions, SMEs, and family-owned groups through executive profiles, trend analyses, and interviews distributed via the Africa CEO Forum website.
• Digital Events Year-round virtual events and webinar series convening African executives, experts, and policymakers on timely topics including energy transition, climate finance, gender equality, and country-specific investment opportunities.
• Insights Publications Digital reports, articles, and expert analysis on African economic development topics, distributed via the website and email newsletter to subscribers and summit attendees.
• Africa CEO Forum Awards Annual awards program recognizing companies, leaders, and investors for significant contributions to growth in Africa, presented during the Forum's Gala Dinner.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000-2,800 business leaders, investors, and policymakers gathered annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered founding, core, main, strategic, associate, knowledge, diamond, host country, awards and disrupters club.

• Jeune Afrique Media GroupfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founded the Africa CEO Forum in 2012. Provides media expertise, editorial content, and organizational support. Parent company behind the organization's activities.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Permanent co-host of the Africa CEO Forum since founding. IFC is part of the World Bank Group and provides institutional credibility and access to development finance networks.
• University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P)mainStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain partner for the LEAD program. Provides academic support and facilities for leadership retreats and governance training initiatives.
• African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for LEAD program supporting pan-African governance initiatives and public sector leadership development.
• AIG-Imoukhuede FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting the LEAD governance initiative with focus on public sector transformation in Africa.
• Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for LEAD program contributing to continental public sector leadership development initiatives.
• Africa ReassociateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner for LEAD program supporting African governance and public sector excellence initiatives.
• Arise FoundationassociateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner for LEAD program contributing to public sector leadership and governance development.
• Asafo & CoassociateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner supporting LEAD program with legal and advisory expertise for governance initiatives.
• Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD)associateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner for LEAD program supporting West African public sector development initiatives.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)knowledgeStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner for LEAD program providing analytical expertise and research support for governance and policy discussions.
• Schneider ElectricmainGTM or Marketing PartnerMain Partner for 2026 summit with significant sponsorship involvement in energy transition discussions.
• ACWA PowerdiamondGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond partner for 2026 summit focusing on energy sector discussions and fair energy transition theme.
• Africa Global Logistics (AGL)diamondGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond partner supporting logistics and transport sector dialogue at the summit.
• Bank of KigalidiamondGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond partner and host country financial institution for 2026 summit.
• Rwanda Development Board (RDB)host countryGTM or Marketing PartnerHost country partner for 2026 summit held in Kigali, Rwanda.
• Forvis MazarsawardsGTM or Marketing PartnerAwards partner for Africa CEO Forum Awards program recognizing African business champions.
• Visadisrupters clubGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Disrupters Club initiative supporting African startups and innovation.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Milken Institute Global Conference: High-profile annual leadership summit convening CEOs, policymakers, and institutional investors for deal-making and policy dialogue. Operates a comparable premium, sponsorship-driven, invitation-based business model.
• World Economic Forum: Operates invitation-only executive leadership summits (Davos, regional meetings) convening heads of state, CEOs, and development leaders. Highly comparable C-suite networking and thought-leadership model, though at a global rather than Africa-specific scope.
• Bloomberg Africa Business Forum: Media-led annual executive gathering on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly convening African heads of state, CEOs, and global investors. Comparable high-profile, media-backed executive summit format.
• Africa Investment Forum (AfDB): African Development Bank-organized annual deal-sourcing platform bringing together African heads of state, investors, and project sponsors. Closest direct competitor for Africa-focused business-government-investor matchmaking.

Emerging players

• Semafor Africa Summit: Newer media-led summit convening African and global business and policy leaders. Represents a digitally-native, media-brand-anchored competitor challenging traditional invitation-only forums.
• Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS): Focused annual gathering of African banking, insurance, and financial services leaders. Overlaps with the Africa CEO Forum's financial-sector attendee base but specializes in financial services.

Broad incumbents

• Global Africa Business Initiative (UNDP): UN Development Programme convenes African private sector, governments, and development partners around investment and policy. Comparable convener role but institutional/UN-led rather than private-sector-led.
• Fortune Global Forum: Media-brand-anchored global CEO forum convening Fortune 500 leaders with heads of state. Comparable C-suite invitation and sponsorship business model with media-distribution flywheel.
• Aspen Ideas Festival / Aspen Global Forum: High-profile leadership convening linking business, government, and thought leaders around policy and global challenges. Comparable invitation-based, premium-sponsorship, year-round community model.

Regional players

• The Africa Report Events (Jeune Afrique sister publications): Sister brand within the parent Jeune Afrique Media Group portfolio running Africa-focused executive editorial and events. Adjacent rather than directly competing, given shared parent and overlapping audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africa-ceo-forum
• Xx.com/africaceoforum
• Facebookfacebook.com/africaceoforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Africa CEO Forum