By Issah Olegor
Amid mounting economic pressures across the continent, over 2,800 top political, business, and financial leaders from 90 countries convened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for the 2025 Africa CEO Forum, with a sharp focus on driving investment reforms, accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and realigning public-private sector collaboration.
The two-day summit, co-hosted by Jeune Afrique Media Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is themed “Can a New Deal Between State and Private Sector Deliver the Continent a Winning Hand?”
This 12th edition comes at a pivotal moment as African economies face ballooning debt, declining donor support, and a rapidly evolving global trade environment.
Background
The Africa CEO Forum, launched in 2012, has evolved into the continent’s premier platform for dialogue between governments and the private sector.
This year’s edition is particularly significant as leaders seek to recalibrate Africa’s economic trajectory through better governance, investment-friendly regulations, and region-wide cooperation under the AfCFTA framework.
The AfCFTA, which officially launched trading in January 2021, aims to create the world’s largest single market—encompassing 54 countries and over 1.4 billion people.
However, the pace of implementation has varied, constrained by national protectionist policies, fragmented regulations, and infrastructure gaps.
This year’s forum is seen as a critical juncture for accelerating the AfCFTA’s objectives through concrete actions and political will.
Trade Reform
Opening the Forum, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara stressed the need to leverage intra-African trade and reduce dependence on raw commodity exports.
He highlighted Côte d’Ivoire’s own performance, attributing its sustained growth to macroeconomic stability and robust private sector participation.
“The world is undergoing profound upheavals in the geopolitical and economic spheres,” he said.
“We must now work to strengthen intra-African trade by continuing our efforts to process our raw materials and by accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA. I hope this edition of the Africa CEO Forum will be a moment of truth and commitment.”
Ouattara’s remarks reflect a growing consensus among African leaders that deeper integration, industrial value addition, and investment-friendly policies are critical to unlocking sustainable growth.
