Norwegian-African Business Association

What Norwegian-African Business Association does

NABA is a Norwegian membership-based business association founded in 2011 to connect Nordic companies with African markets. It serves approximately 150 member companies spanning energy, technology, agribusiness, shipping, industry, tourism, and real estate, and operates a small secretariat (two full-time positions) hosted by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) at Næringslivets Hus in Oslo. The organization runs an event-driven go-to-market motion anchored by the annual Nordic-African Business Summit (15th edition scheduled for October 2026 at the Grand Hotel Oslo), organized business missions to African countries, strategic roundtables, and country-specific bilateral forums (e.g., Kenya-Norway Business Forum, Algeria Day).

Core offerings include the Membership Program (annual subscription providing access to missions, networking, roundtables, and market intelligence), the Nordic-African Business Summit (the flagship conference with 300+ delegates and global speakers), Business Missions to African markets, and the NABA Perspectives podcast launched in 2023. The underlying technology stack is minimal and undifferentiated — the website is built on Squarespace, with Mailchimp for email marketing, Google Analytics for web analytics, and Eventbrite/checkin platforms for ticketing. There is no proprietary software platform or AI component; the "product" is fundamentally the network, events, and intermediation services.

Revenue is generated through three streams: annual membership fees from the 150 enterprise members, event revenue from the Summit (tickets, sponsorships, conference partnerships with entities such as Turkish Airlines, Equinor, Africa Finance Corporation, and Norfund), and ongoing corporate sponsorships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is contact-based. NABA is governed by its member companies and operates on a non-profit association basis, with no external venture capital or private equity ownership.

Name

Norwegian-African Business Association

Legal name

Norwegian-African Business Association

Website

https://norwegianafrican.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NABA is an Oslo-based membership association connecting Nordic companies with African markets through its annual Nordic-African Business Summit, business missions, and strategic forums. It serves approximately 150 enterprise members across energy, technology, agribusiness, shipping, and tourism sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: NABA generates revenue through annual membership fees from Norwegian and Nordic companies seeking African market access. Members receive access to business missions, networking events, roundtables, market intelligence, and visibility through NABA platforms.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from the annual Nordic-African Business Summit including tickets, sponsorships, and partnerships. The Summit is a flagship event attracting 3,000+ delegates since 2011.
3. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships from main partners (like Turkish Airlines) and conference partners for events and publications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NABA is a membership-based business association that facilitates Nordic-African business partnerships through annual summits, business missions, strategic roundtables, and member-only market intelligence. It generates revenue through membership fees, event tickets, and corporate sponsorships to connect roughly 150 Norwegian and Nordic member companies with African market opportunities across energy, technology, agribusiness, shipping, tourism, and real estate.

Product overview

The Norwegian-African Business Association (NABA) offers a portfolio of membership services, events, and programs designed to facilitate business partnerships between Nordic and African markets. The core offerings include the annual Nordic-African Business Summit (the 15th edition in 2026), organized business missions to African countries, and a membership program providing access to exclusive networking, market intelligence, and B2B matchmaking. Supporting products include the NABA Perspectives podcast, bilateral business forums (such as Kenya-Norway Business Forum), and specialized events like Algeria Day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nordic-African Business Summit: NABA's flagship annual event, one of Europe's leading investor conferences focused exclusively on Africa, held each October in Oslo.
• NABA Perspectives
• NABAx

Products and services

• Nordic-African Business Summit NABA's flagship annual conference held in Oslo, serving as the premier Nordic-African business dialogue platform that brings together business leaders, investors, policymakers, and diplomats to examine forces shaping commercial cooperation between the Nordics and the African continent.
• NABA Membership Program Annual subscription-based membership giving Norwegian and Nordic companies access to business missions across Africa, networking with Nordic and African decision-makers, strategic roundtables, market intelligence, and visibility through NABA's platforms and events.
• Business Missions to Africa Organized trade delegations and investment missions to African countries facilitating B2B meetings, government engagements, and market entry support for Norwegian member companies.
• NABA Perspectives Podcast Podcast series examining key trends and issues shaping Africa's business and policy landscape, featuring interviews with industry leaders, policymakers, and experts on topics including energy transition, critical minerals, and investment.
• Algeria Day

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ delegates connected since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Embassy of Algeria in OslocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Strategic partnership to jointly organize Algeria Day (October 7, 2026) and the 15th Nordic-African Business Summit (October 8, 2026). The Embassy serves as conference partner, facilitating a high-level Algerian delegation. Algeria is one of Africa's largest economies with growing importance for Nordic businesses.
• Signal RiskmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Strategic intelligence partnership providing NABA members with enhanced risk analysis and market intelligence services for African operations.
• Access2innovation (Denmark)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in EU Interreg bridge-building project exploring opportunities for collaboration between Scandinavian universities and SMEs for sustainable commercial solutions targeting African markets.
• Inclusive Business SwedensupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in EU Interreg project focused on sustainable commercial solutions for African markets through Scandinavian university-SME partnerships.
• UTICA (Tunisia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2019UTICA (Union Tunisienne de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat) signed a five-year partnership agreement with NHO/NABA. UTICA organized the Tunisia-Norway Business Forum and connects with Tunisian entrepreneurs.
• Turkish AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 August 2019Main partner agreement signed for the Nordic-African Business Summit. Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline with 58 African destinations. Offers exclusive travel benefits to NABA member companies.
• Confederation of Economic Association of Mozambique (CTA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016MoU signed in 2016 gives NABA members access to new projects and insights about business opportunities in Mozambique. CTA is the main private sector umbrella organization in Mozambique.
• NorfundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries) is co-host of the Nordic-African Business Summit. As Norway's development finance institution, Norfund collaborates on investment missions and provides expertise on African market opportunities.
• Norwegian Ministry of Foreign AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment co-host of the Nordic-African Business Summit, providing diplomatic support and connecting NABA with official Norwegian trade and development initiatives.
• Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFC is a key partner for the Nordic-African Business Summit 2026. As Africa's own infrastructure solutions provider, AFC brings expertise in project finance, trade finance, and financial advisory across the continent.
• EquinormajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference partner for the Nordic-African Business Summit. Equinor (formerly Statoil) is one of Norway's largest energy companies with significant African operations and investments in renewables.
• NHO (Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHO is co-founder and hosts NABA's secretariat. As Norway's largest employers' organization, NHO provides institutional support and connects NABA with Norwegian business community.
• Norwegian Energy Partners (NORWEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORWEP collaborates on energy-focused business missions to Africa. Jointly organized missions include Mozambique visit with Crown Prince Haakon and Namibia mission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/6KyMf16MS7soRJrxmJyEWb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/norwegian-african-business-association
• Xx.com/nabaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Norwegian-African Business Association