Africa’s central bank governors, finance chiefs and leading banking executives will converge in Luanda, Angola, on the 3rd–4th of November 2026 for the sixth Africa Financial Summit (AFIS), amid concerns that the continent’s financial institutions are not directing enough capital towards productive economic activities.The summit will bring together more than 1,250 financial leaders and policymakers, including 18 central bank governors and eight finance ministers, to examine how Africa can mobilise domestic resources to finance businesses, infrastructure and job creation.
The continent’s 30 largest banks hold approximately $1.2 trillion in assets, less than one-third of the balance-sheet total of their Latin American counterparts. Despite this significant financial capacity, Africa continues to face a substantial financing gap, particularly in infrastructure and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The International Finance Corporation estimates the SME and infrastructure financing gap in sub-Saharan Africa at more than $400 billion. The challenge is not a lack of capital but a mismatch between the needs of borrowers and the type of capital available, compounded by risk and inadequate financing structures.
AFIS 2026 will focus on whether stronger financial integration, improved credit access and better deployment of domestic savings can close the gap between Africa’s financial capacity and its economic needs. The summit’s theme, “Agency in the rules of finance,” underscores the push to turn financial strength into economic power.
For 2026, AFIS will focus on six strategic priorities, including financing the real economy, scaling with purpose, technology on African terms, turning African savings into African investment, integration that enables scale, and governance and regulation. The goal is to develop mechanisms that connect available capital more effectively to businesses, infrastructure and productive sectors capable of creating jobs.
Central bank governors expected at the summit include Hassan Abdalla of Egypt, Lesetja Kganyago of South Africa, Johnson Pandit Asiama of Ghana, Denny H. Kalyalya of Zambia and Emmanuel Tutuba of Tanzania. Their participation signals the urgency of addressing the financing gap at the highest levels of policymaking.
The summit will also feature a Central Bank Governors Panel on the regulatory course for 2028–2034, exploring the path towards deeper financial integration across the continent. Co-hosted by the World Bank and Jeune Afrique, AFIS 2026 aims to foster bold debate, high-level collaboration and decisive solutions.
Africa Presents is a Pan-African digital magazine and monthly publication covering politics, business, economy, culture, tech, and the stories shaping Africa and its diaspora. Visit africapresents.com and follow @AfricaPresents for daily coverage and monthly themed magazine editions.
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