The gathering will take place at the 6th Africa Finance Festival (AFF) 2026, scheduled for May 12 and 13 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island. Organisers announced in a statement on Sunday that the event will serve as a key platform for conversations around financial innovation, economic integration, and policy coordination across Africa.
Now regarded as one of the continent’s expanding high-level finance forums, the summit is expected to attract participants from government institutions, commercial banks, telecom operators, fintech companies, infrastructure developers, and development finance organisations.
Digital Finance Takes Centre Stage in Africa’s Economic Shift
This year’s edition of the festival is designed to examine how digital technologies are reshaping financial systems across African markets, particularly in expanding access to financial services and improving capital movement between economies.
According to the organisers, the discussions come at a critical moment when many African countries are accelerating the adoption of mobile money platforms, digital banking services, and fintech-led solutions. However, they noted that structural challenges remain, including fragmented regulation, infrastructure deficits, and inefficiencies in cross-border payments.
The 2026 edition will run under the theme: “Future Forward: Building Resilient, Sustainable and Digital Finance Systems for Africa”, reflecting what organisers describe as the continent’s urgent need to modernise its financial architecture while strengthening resilience.
Strong Institutional and Corporate Sponsorship Signals Growing Confidence
A number of major institutions have been confirmed as headline sponsors, including MTN Nigeria, Lagos Free Zone, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, and Creditswitch.
Organisers said the participation of these organisations reflects increasing collaboration between the public and private sectors in shaping Africa’s financial future. They also noted that the sponsors will contribute to discussions around investment flows, digital transformation, and regulatory alignment across markets.
The involvement of telecoms, trade agencies, and infrastructure developers underscores the growing convergence of sectors driving financial innovation across the continent.
Powered by InstinctWave and TheCFO, the Africa Finance Festival has evolved from its earlier identity as the CFO and Public Finance Conference into a broader continental platform.
The 2026 edition will feature nine parallel streams designed to deepen specialised discussions while encouraging cross-sector engagement. These include Public Finance Live, CFO Connect, TaxIgnite, CEO Connect, Pension Connect, Investment and Wealth Live, Risk/Audit Live, ESG and Sustainable Finance, and Treasury Live.
Organisers said this structure allows for both technical depth and broader collaboration between policymakers, corporate executives, and financial innovators working across Africa’s economic landscape.
High-Level Speaker Lineup Drawn from Across the Continent
The summit will host a wide range of speakers from public finance institutions, central banking circles, corporate organisations, fintech firms, and development finance bodies.
Among the confirmed speakers is Mr Leonard Mkude, Accountant-General of the United Republic of Tanzania. He will be joined by senior Nigerian fiscal authorities including Shamsedeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, Accountant-General of the Federation, Akintunde Oyebode, Chairman of the Forum of Finance Commissioners of Nigeria, and Muyiwa Adetola, Accountant-General of Lagos State.
Other notable participants include Bonaventure Okhaimo, Managing Director and CEO of the National Credit Guarantee Company, and Hauwa Nuru, Commissioner of Finance for Kwara State, reflecting a balance of federal and subnational perspectives.
From the private sector, Modupe Kadiri, Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of MTN Nigeria, is expected to feature prominently in the CFO Connect stream. Ashish Khemka, Director of Finance and Operations at Lagos Free Zone, will speak on infrastructure financing and capital mobilisation strategies.
Additional contributors include Oluseyi Olanrewaju, CFO of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, and Ogaga Ologe, Group Chief Finance Officer of Tropical General Investments Group, highlighting the role of energy and infrastructure finance in economic expansion.
The programme will also dedicate sessions to governance, risk management, taxation, and development finance.
Saima Ashipala, Chief Risk Officer at the Development Bank of Namibia, and Renatus Nyanda, Head of Risk Management at the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, are expected to lead discussions on financial risk frameworks.
In the TaxIgnite stream, Adegbola Thomas of FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company and Sebastine Odimma of Yellow Card will explore taxation in extractive industries and compliance challenges within fintech ecosystems.
On the development finance front, Dkt. Kaanaeli G. Nnko of Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank and Daniel Asiedu of OmniBSIC Bank Ghana will contribute perspectives on banking-led economic development across African markets.
Organisers said previous editions of the festival have consistently drawn senior policymakers and finance professionals from across the continent, reinforcing its reputation as a strategic convening point for Africa’s financial sector.
Akin Naphtal, Chief Executive Officer of InstinctWave and Group Publisher of TheCFO Magazine, described the event as a reflection of Africa’s changing financial direction.
“This rebrand is not just a name change,” he said. “It is a reflection of where Africa is heading, bold, integrated, and driven by finance leadership that truly shapes economies.”
He added that AFF 2026 is designed to act as a central hub for stakeholders working to build more inclusive, innovative, and resilient financial systems across the continent.