By Ajong Mbapndah L *
As the global race for investment intensifies and new economic alliances reshape international commerce, Africa is increasingly positioning itself as a destination not merely for capital, but for strategic partnerships. At the forefront of that effort is Dr. M’zée Fula Ngenge, Chairperson of the Africa Pavilion and Co-Founder of the Africa GCC Council, whose vision is to transform the Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026 into the continent’s premier platform for investment diplomacy. In this exclusive interview, he explains why Dubai will become a critical meeting point for African governments, global investors, development finance institutions and entrepreneurs, and how the Africa Pavilion aims to convert dialogue into bankable projects, lasting partnerships and a new era of Africa-GCC economic cooperation.
Preparations for the Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026 appear to be well underway. How are things shaping up, and what makes this year’s edition different from previous ones?
Preparations are not merely “well underway”, but unfolding with the precision of a master plan and the energy of a continent awakening to its full potential. This year, we are not simply participating, but positioning. The Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026 is being transformed from a static exhibition space into a dynamic nexus for tangible deals and transformative partnerships. We are moving beyond visibility to create concrete outcomes, actively building the transactional pathways that define the new corridor between Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). What makes this edition fundamentally different is the confluence of three powerful currents, beginning with the architecture of intentionality.
For the first time, we have structured the Pavilion as a “continental showcase” for African investment. This is not a collection of disparate national booth, but rather a unified platform where governments, national investment agencies, enterprises, and financial institutions stand shoulder to shoulder with a single objective. That collective intention is to promote both, African and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) projects to international investors and accelerate their financing. We are curating high-level matchmaking between project sponsors and sovereign funds from both, Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council. We shall also go out of our way to highlight private capital, and institutional investors. This is the difference between hoping for investment, and actually engineering it.
We must acknowledge the critical importance of African leadership on the global stage, a priority that the Africa-GCC Council affirms by inaugurating the annual Impact Awards along with the establishment of an annual Lifetime Achievement Award that will be awarded to a sitting or former African Head of State. Both awards are instituted in honor of former President of Ghana, His Excellency John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, a living legend and global icon who stands as the world’s preeminent paradigm of principled leadership.
Allow me to also underscore the vision of integration. At its core, the Africa Pavilion 2026 is anchored in the convergence of the demographic dividends of the GCC and Africa with transformative capital—a synergy I call the ultimate cross-continental value proposition. We are highlighting how Africa and the GCC’s creative industries, innovation hubs, and trade corridors can integrate with global ambitions. This is not and should not ever be considered or labeled as a one-off event. it is now a permanent platform designed to strengthen economic relations between African economies and the Gulf countries, which will focus on creating real bridges between governments, sovereign investors, private enterprises, and project promoters. From our strategic roadshow in Abidjan to our high-level engagements in Dubai and Nigeria, we are ensuring that the Africa Pavilion is not just a destination but a legitimate departure point to be used as a launchpad for a new era of cross-continental prosperity. I invite everyone, with all the wisdom of hindsight and the clarity of foresight, to attend and join us. The AIM Congress in 2026 is not merely an investment opportunity. With the inauguration of the African Pavilion and the Africa Stage, it is the shaping of a collective future.
You have described the Africa Pavilion as much more than an exhibition space. What experience should delegates expect when they arrive in Dubai, and how will the Pavilion facilitate meaningful investment conversations, rather than just networking?
When you arrive in the United Arab Emirates and step into the Africa Pavilion, you will not simply walk through a door. You will be invited to enter a multi-sensory journey across our continent’s vast and vibrant landscape. We have designed this Pavilion to be an immersive experience, where the rhythm of African innovation pulses through every corner, where the richness of our cultural heritage is not just summed up as a decorative afterthought, but a foundational language of trust and connection.
This is what my Co-Founder suggested and coined as our “Love Brand” philosophy, which is designed to move far beyond transactional encounters in efforts to forge empathy-driven relationships. Delegates will find themselves in spaces thoughtfully curated to mirror the diversity of Africa itself, from high-level summit suites where Heads of Government and sovereign wealth fund leaders convene, to intimate caucusing quarters designed for the kind of quiet, candid dialogue where real deals are born, pursued and closed. You will witness Africa’s story told not by others, but by Africans, particularly through our art, our technology, our cuisine, and our unwavering spirit of enterprise.
Let me be unmistakably clear in my attempt to communicate that we are not here to encourage gorged handshakes or a pointless exchange of business cards. The Africa Pavilion has been strategically engineered to catalyze concrete outcomes and we have worked relentlessly to achieve this through a deliberate architecture of engagement. Our three-day program, Africa Stage 2026, is meticulously built around thematic pillars that target the continent’s most urgent and high-potential sectors. These span from industrial revival and strategic mineral beneficiation to the reinvention of cultural heritage and the cutting edge of AI literacy. Every session, every panel and every dialogue is designed to move the needle from much-needed discussions to prudent decisions.
But, where we truly differ is our precision matchmaking, which replaces randomness with purpose at every step. We are orchestrating high-level introductions between carefully curated ecosystems, such as African governments with investment-ready projects, entrepreneurs with scalable innovations, and Gulf capital, which has already exceeded US$110 billion in African investments between 2019 and 2023, with bankable opportunities that demand urgent attention. Our delegation includes the architects of capital that feature sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, family offices, and multinational corporations. They will not be present solely to observe and will be active in their roles to deploy.
With the hindsight of decades spent bridging continents, I have learned that trust is the currency of lasting partnership. The GCC is leaving oil behind, Africa is stepping onto the world stage, and right at this intersection, I see a shared destiny taking shape. And with the foresight to build for the future, we have established a governance structure that speaks Africa’s most widely used languages, ensuring that no voice is unheard and no opportunity is lost in translation. This is the Africa Pavilion and it should be known that it is a potent environment where investment conversations are not abstract discussions, but the foundation of agreements that will accelerate economic transformation across our continent. We are not only inviting interested parties from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia to attend, but to join us in co-authoring Africa’s next growth chapter.
Several high-profile leaders have already confirmed their participation. Without revealing everything, can you share some of the notable heads of government, ministers, business leaders or institutions expected to attend, and why their presence matters?
To speak of our esteemed attendees is not merely to recite a roster of titles, but to unveil a living tapestry of geopolitical will. While I must guard the sanctity of our final disclosures, I can offer you a glimpse into the constellation of visionaries who will grace our gathering.
When I refer to the anchors of sovereignty, I must say that we are honored to welcome sitting African Heads of State. Their presence is not ceremonial, but is more of a declaration that Africa is open for structural partnership, not extractive transactions. We shall also enjoy special participation from an African legend whose visionary leadership and enduring commitment to economic integration will elevate this platform and inspire dialogue of the highest order. His presence, alongside over 20,000 leaders from more than 180 countries, signals that Africa is serious, united, and ready to engage as an equal partner. We also anticipate senior Royals from the Gulf, whose foresight continues to reshape their nation’s economic DNA beyond hydrocarbons. The journey for many of them signals a profound realization that the future of Gulf food security, green energy, and digital infrastructure is inextricably woven into the fabric of African prosperity.
Moving on to architects of capital and industry, we look from the corridors of global finance. We will host representatives of formidable Sovereign Wealth Funds in the Arabian Peninsula, alongside the President of a pan-African development institution that has financed over $40 billion in continental infrastructure. Their convergence matters, because we are moving beyond the era of fragmented aid into the epoch of pooled, patient capital. We are also expecting the CEOs of three multinational logistics and agri-tech giants—leaders who understand that the Red Sea and the Atlantic are no longer borders, but bustling highways of commerce.
Now, I will help readers understand why their presence transforms the paradigm. For decades, North-South dialogues have been plagued by paternalism and broken promises. The presence of these leaders affirms a hard-earned lesson that true value is not created in boardrooms far from our shores, but in equitable, bilateral co-creation. Resulting from many of my high-level conversations, I have come to believe that they are not coming to “save” Africa, but have committed to showing up with a mission to partner with it. We are witnessing the first generational shift where Gulf and African interests align perfectly on decarbonization, artificial intelligence, and youth employment. The ministers of Energy and Digital Economy attending are not merely presenting papers. Some have pledged to bring executable frameworks for cross-desert data corridors and green hydrogen pilot zones. Their presence signals that we are done with rhetoric and are on a mission to script technical blueprints.
The most magnetic aspect of this assembly is the unspoken acknowledgment that the 21st century’s pivotal test will be how the Global South organizes itself. When these heads of government sit together, they are not just discussing bilateral trade, but have made conscious decisions to implicitly negotiate the future of the BRICS+ agenda, the recalibration of the IMF quotas, and the new architecture of climate finance. Their presence is a gravitational pull, ensuring that the Africa-GCC axis becomes a permanent pillar of the new multipolar world order.
The unrevealed jewel that I must leave you with in one tantalizing thread, is that there is an institution, a global standard-bearer for space technology and satellite communications, whose CEO will be joining us incognito. Why? Because the digital divide is the final frontier, and we are about to bridge it with orbital sovereignty, rather than the lone cables that so many often show up with.
To see these figures converge in an atmosphere such as the Africa Pavilion is to witness the birth of a generational covenant. In my eyes, it is not so much about the noise of the handshake. For many, it is about the silence of the shared vision that follows. The full mosaic will be unveiled in due time, but rest assured that every name on that list is a brick in a causeway that will connect our two civilizations for centuries to come. Lucky for us, that is the gravity of their presence and the profundity of this moment.
AIM Congress has become one of the world’s premier investment gatherings. Why is it important for Africa to have a dedicated Pavilion, and how has it helped reshape global perceptions about investment opportunities on the continent?
Far more than important, the Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress is made imperative by its very presence alone. For too long, the global investment narrative has spoken about Africa, rather than with Africa. The Pavilion has introduced and communicated that newfound reality and narrative. It is conceived, not merely as an exhibition space, but as a strategic ecosystem designed to catalyze the immense potential of Africa-GCC relations. It is where Africa meets global capital, visionary leadership and strategic partnerships.
Over the years, I have witnessed the AIM Congress impressively become one of the world’s premier investment gatherings and it has been a pleasure to participate in a variety of summoned capacities. To have a dedicated African presence at its heart is to assert that our continent is not a peripheral consideration, but stands as a central pillar of the global economic future. As I mentioned earlier, the Pavilion provides a unified, powerful platform for African governments, investment agencies and businesses to engage directly with international investors. It moves far beyond transactional relationships to foster empathy-driven, trust-based partnerships, embedding cultural understanding and human connection at its core.
Allow me to now move on and address the second part of your question regarding how has it reshaped global perceptions? The answer lies in what the Pavilion has now become, which is a much-needed and highly attractive global gateway. It has steadily built an impressive reputation as the continent’s premier platform for economic diplomacy. By convening Heads of Government, ministers, and the world’s most influential business leaders under one roof, we are showcasing Africa’s unrivaled dynamism as well as its youthful workforce, vast resources, and a rapidly rising market.
We offer an ideal setting to demonstrate that Africa is the world’s next economic frontier that rests on three foundational pillars, beginning with a young population as well as large natural resources, and rapid digital adoption. The Pavilion is instrumental in shifting the narrative from one of risk and deficit to one of opportunity and growth. It highlights that returns in African markets consistently outpace global averages. We are framing the continent of Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as co-architects of a shared future, which is becoming more evident that it is a partnership built on complementary strengths, rather than charity.
In essence, the Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress is transforming the global investment landscape by providing a compelling vision of what is actually possible. It is reshaping perceptions by replacing outdated stereotypes with hard data, high-level dialogue, and tangible deal-making. We are not just inviting the world to invest in Africa. We are inviting the world to partner with Africa in building a prosperous, sustainable, and interconnected future. This is the new narrative, and it deserves to be know that the Africa Pavilion is its most powerful megaphone.
Africa continues to compete for global capital at a time when investors have many options. What investment opportunities do you believe will attract the strongest interest at AIM Congress 2026, and which sectors are likely to generate the biggest deals?
This year at AIM Congress 2026, we move beyond the narrative of Africa competing for capital. Our objective is to unveil a new reality of Africa curating partnerships. We recognize that global investors have choices, yet nowhere else does capital encounter demography, resources, and reform converging in such synchronized ascent.
The most sought-after deals and one of the heftiest commitments, will coalesce around three interconnected pillars, anchored by the infrastructure-energy nexus that serves as their bedrock. Gulf sovereign wealth funds, for example, are not merely financing ports and power grids. We are steering them toward integrated economic corridors designed to unlock entire value chains. Coupled with transmission networks and logistics, renewable mega-projects will consequently dominate the headlines, not necessarily as isolated assets, but as genuine platforms for industrialization.
Moreover, we look at the digital-industrial frontier, we will recognize that Africa is leapfrogging legacy systems. Data centers, fibre optics, and fintech infrastructure are drawing incredibly aggressive interest, because they sit at the intersection of a youthful population and a rapidly formalizing economy. These are high-growth, high-velocity opportunities that traditional markets can no longer offer.
The last pillar focuses on strategic value chains, which highlight critical minerals and agri-food. As the world de-risks supply chains, Africa’s mineral wealth and arable land become non-negotiable strategic assets. The biggest deals will be those that offer value addition on the continent, not extraction alone, aligning perfectly with food security and industrial diversification goals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The headline transactions at AIM 2026 will not revolve around singular acquisitions. They will be structural joint ventures, which can best be described as platforms that marry Gulf long-term capital with African growth velocity. While many may look at it as a shift in sentiment, I would prefer to define it as a strategic and deliberate shift in architecture.
For those with the foresight to see it, the Africa-GCC corridor is no longer an emerging theme. Many or the world’ most competent minds are becoming more convinced that it is the defining investment thesis of the coming decade. We can all see now that the opportunity is vast and with each phonically, I recognize that the partners are ready, so the time to act is firmly upon us.
Many international investors still associate Africa with risk rather than opportunity. What message would you like them to hear, and what realities on the ground are changing that outdated narrative?
It has become rather important for me to establish that the “risk” narrative is becoming a relic, and those who are shortsighted enough to cling to it are truly missing the most compelling convergence of factors in modern economics.
The realities on the ground have irrevocably shifted, rendering past assumptions obsolete. First, our fiscal fundamentals have matured, demonstrating that no African sovereign bond trades in distressed territory today, which is a testament to disciplined governance and deepening financial resilience.
Second, we possess the world’s youngest workforce and 60% of its uncultivated arable land, positioning us as the solution to global labour and food security. Third, we are leapfrogging into a digital future at a velocity that outpaces legacy markets.
The most pivotal insight is best exhibited through the Africa-GCC Council, where we can easily manifest and substantiate that we are an entity that offers an effective and strategic corridor, rather than making an annual exercise of seeking out capital. Sovereign investors in the Gulf Region have already deployed over $100 billion in patient, long-term capital. It doesn’t come as charity and is designed to be utilized as a calculated bet on mutual prosperity. They tend to see what others fear to recognize the fact that Africa is the final frontier for scalable, sustainable returns.
The invitation is simple: the era of extraction is over; the era of co-creation has begun. The groundwork is laid, the partnership models are proven, and the data is clear. The only true risk today is the cost of waiting. Join us as architects of this new reality, not as spectators of an old one.
One of the biggest concerns for businesses, especially SMEs and startups, is affordability. How accessible is the Africa Pavilion for companies of different sizes, and what value can participants expect relative to the cost of exhibiting or attending?
We listeners hear me talk about affordability, it is important to understand that is not merely a line item on a balance sheet. This gateway to opportunity, is the threshold upon which dreams either advance or recede. I have spent quite a bit of time navigating the intricate corridors of global commerce, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that the Africa Pavilion is not a luxury reserved for the few. This strategic ecosystem is deliberately architected to be accessible to enterprises of every scale, from the fledgling startup to the established multinational.
I would like to now speak plainly about the numbers, for transparency is the bedrock of trust. We know that for startups and SMEs, every currency has to stretch. So we have built our participation model around flexibility and value that highlight tiered pricing, shared booth setups, and strategic partnerships with national trade agencies. Better yet, these agencies often offer subsidized rates for qualifying businesses, which means we have effectively removed the financial hurdles that typically keep smaller players out. The direct outlay for a physical presence is measurable, yet the true weight lies in the cost of being absent from the Africa-GCC corridor.
Let us now move beyond cost and speak of value, for that is the true measure of any investment. What is the return on a presence at the Africa Pavilion? It is the unparalleled access to a curated gathering of over 20,000 leaders from more than 180 countries. It is the opportunity to move beyond the transactional and into the realm of concrete partnerships and agreements. It is the chance to stand alongside visionary leaders whose presence elevates the platform and signals the immense potential of the African continent. This is not visibility for visibility’s sake. We have to highlight it as strategic positioning within a corridor that connects African growth potential with GCC capital and expertise, which is a synergy that creates a unique value proposition for global investors.
For the SME, the value definitely lies in the demolition of traditional barriers. You gain direct access to decision-makers, financiers, and partners who are actively seeking the innovation and resilience that define African enterprise. For the startup, the value is exponential, given that we have and are offering a launchpad that can compress years of market entry and relationship-building into a matter of days. The Africa Pavilion is conceived as a dynamic nexus for tangible deals and partnerships. The word has gotten out and participants are now convinced that we are actively building the transactional pathways that define the Africa-GCC corridor.
The Africa Pavilion has been designed to act as a springboard, not a barrier. We have warmly welcomed strategic partners, and we continue to forge alliances that amplify the collective voice of Africa in the heart of the Middle East.We are committed to ensuring every participant—regardless of scale—leaves with an ROI that far outweighs the monetary. Instead, it’s measured in the relationships they build, the deals they set in motion, and a future we design together.
Our collective goal is to ensure that the Africa Pavilion is not seen as an expense, but rather as an investment into legacy. The cost of participation is an investment in access, in positioning, and in the future of your enterprise within one of the world’s most dynamic economic corridors.
Beyond showcasing opportunities, how does the Africa Pavilion help convert conversations into concrete investment agreements, partnerships and bankable projects after the congress ends?
This is a pivotal question that cuts to the very heart of what we are actually building. You see, the Africa Pavilion is not, and will not become a stage for performance. Through relentless dedication, the team we have assembled has forged this into the driving force behind our production environment. We possess an impressive and innovative team that understands the importance to move beyond the era where showcasing opportunities was sufficient. The world does not lack for visibility into Africa’s potential. From where we stand, we know that it lacks structured, reliable, and efficient pathways to convert that potential into tangible economic reality. Our philosophy, therefore, is rooted in a singular conviction that dialogue must be the seed, and the deal flow must be the harvest.
Beyond these AIM Congress walls, here is how we will cultivate this harvest into lasting, actionable impact.
First, it is necessary that we architect for transactions, not just attendance. From inception, we take time to design every element, from the curated B2B, B2G, and G2G matchmaking sessions to the dedicated investor and deal-making lounges, specifically to shorten sales cycles and reduce the “sourcing noise” that so often frustrates investors. We are not generally interested in assembling participants in an environment where socializing and being entertained takes precedence over literally “walking the talk.” Our platform serves as a direct conduit between African project sponsors and Gulf sovereign funds, private capital, and institutional investors.
We have already has success in establishing a permanent bridge and we want to avoid promoting or facilitating temporary encounters. The Africa-GCC Council, which I am honored to Chair, exists precisely to ensure that the connections made in the pavilion are not fleeting. We are building what we call a legitimate “Africa-GCC corridor”, which will serve as a permanent engine for connection, powered by technology but driven by human ambition. This corridor is not a slogan, but a practical channel for capital, innovation, and supply-chain redesign that operates year-round. Consider this for a moment. We recently facilitated a high-level meeting in Dubai between a Nigerian enterprise and the AIM Board, exemplifying our mission to move beyond visibility and create concrete outcomes. This is the ongoing work of conversion and we are proud of it.
We also understand that we cannot move in a positive direction without placing a strong focus on bankability. Conversation is plentiful, however, it is safe to say that bankable projects are the true currency of investment. Within the pavilion, we curate investment-ready projects across critical sectors that range from energy and infrastructure to digital and the blue economy. We connect these projects with partners who understand that de-risking and structuring are as important as capital itself. The Africa Pavilion serves as a platform where policy frameworks are turned into bankable project portfolios, so this is how we bridge the gap between a promising idea and a financial close.
Fourth, we leverage the unique synergy of both, Africa and the GCC. We are framing Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council as co-architects of a shared future. This is not charity and it will become more evident that this is a strategic alignment of complementary strengths. Africa possesses the world’s next great frontier—a young population, vast natural resources, and rapid digital adoption.
The GCC brings unparalleled capital depth, a search for new growth sectors, and sovereign investors who can take the long view that transformative infrastructure requires. I would like to reiterate that the Africa Pavilion is the nexus where this demographic dividend meets this transformative capital, and in our eyes, this is the ultimate cross-continental value proposition.
In essence, the Africa Pavilion is now being referred to as a catalyst., because we are providing the structured environment for high-quality dialogue, the curated platform for targeted matchmaking, and the permanent institutional framework. Through the Africa-GCC Council, our efforts are made to ensure that what is initiated in Dubai, or Istanbul, or Barcelona, matures into agreements in Lagos, Luanda, or Riyadh.
Together with AIM, we are transforming the congress into a dynamic nexus for tangible deals and partnerships. Our success is not measured by the crowds we attract, but by the joint ventures we establish and the capital we unlock. The Africa Pavilion is where Africa’s future will not only be discussed, but actively, decisively, and bankably built.
If you were making a direct pitch to African governments that have not yet committed to participating, what would you tell them about the strategic value of having a national presence at AIM Congress 2026?
It is always important for me to communicate the fact that opportunity is not a matter of chance, but of positioning. And positioning is precisely what is at stake as we look toward the 7th to the 9th of September 2026. This is when the world’s most influential investment platform, AIM Congress, convenes in Dubai. As one who holds the vision of a prosperous, integrated Africa, the strategic value of a national presence at AIM Congress 2026 is not about attendance, but more about architecting your nation’s future.
AIM Congress is a curated ecosystem where capital meets opportunity and for those who have not yet committed, I must ask: Can your nation afford to be absent from the room where the global investment agenda for 2026 and beyond is being written? The Africa Pavilion at AIM Congress 2026 stands as the voice of our continent in the heart of the Middle East. It is a strategic platform designed to facilitate something the world has long awaited, which is the seamless integration of Africa’s demographic dividend with the GCC’s transformative capital.
We are offering partnerships that offer direct, high-level access to the financiers who can turn your national infrastructure, technology, and energy projects from blueprints into reality. We are also highlighting how Africa’s creative industries, innovation hubs, and trade corridors can integrate with GCC ambitions. This is about building a sustainable economic corridor that generates value for both sides of the Red Sea. We are convening ministerial and private-sector roundtables to align vision and action. This is where policies are forged, and where your nation’s strategic interests can be embedded into the framework of a new cross-continental prosperity.
Whenever I am summoned by governments to lead an advisory team on governance and trade, I have seen the cost of hesitation first hand. While you deliberate, other nations are seizing the moment with levels of unforeseen boldness. Nigeria has already stepped forward as a Strategic Partner of the Africa Pavilion and Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself as a hub to connect investors from the Gulf. Even countries like Cabo Verde are proving that they are ready to fulfill their destiny on a global stage. These African nations understand that participation is positioning. They are not just attending, they are shaping the narrative, attracting the capital, and building the relationships that will define their economic trajectory for the next decade.
AIM Congress is the leading event that truly brings together the private sector, public sector, and the entire investment ecosystem. It is where ideas graduate into policy, and where ambition finds its investor. Bring your investment-ready projects. Bring your visionary ministers. Bring your most innovative enterprises. Let us present to the world a united, compelling, and irresistible image of an Africa that is open for business, ready for partnership, and destined for greatness.
The world is realigning and traditional alliances are shifting. In this new multipolar order, the bond between Africa and the GCC is not just natural, but essential. Our Africa-GCC Council is building a permanent engine for this connection, powered by technology but driven by human ambition.
My question to each is: Will you join us in building this collective future… and Will your nation be a spectator, or an architect?
The doors to the future are open and my last question would be: Will you walk through them?
Likewise, what is your message to private companies, investment promotion agencies, banks and development finance institutions that may still be undecided about joining the Africa Pavilion?
To the decision-makers that are still on the fence, I would like to say “respect the gravity of this moment, for it is the fulcrum and you are the lever.”
The Africa Pavilion is the commercial nerve center of the Africa-GCC economic realignment, where capital meets frontier, yet, the true realignment hinges on building industries together, not just trading invoices.
Our Pavilion offers private companies curated, high-level matchmaking that transforms dialogue into signed mandates. For investment agencies and DFIs, it provides a unified stage to amplify your sovereign and developmental projects to the Gulf’s most active capital deployers. For banks and financiers, it is the essential pipeline for structuring the joint ventures and syndications that will define our shared infrastructure for decades.
Hesitation is a luxury we no longer possess, for the path reveals itself only to the foot that steps forward. Traditional alliances are shifting, and the complementarity between African growth and Gulf vision is undeniable. You can either co-author this historic chapter or read about it in retrospect. The corridor is open to and have just become more attractive to entities such as African Union (AU). Government investment funds, such as The Mohammed VI Investment Fund in Morocco and the Angola Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSDEA) will have an opportunity to show strong support for promising initiatives such as the Africa Public Interest Media Initiative (APIMI), so the deals are waiting, and the Pavilion is definitely the gateway.
The Gulf region has become an increasingly important investment partner for Africa. How do you see relations between Africa and the UAE, as well as the wider Gulf, evolving, and what role can AIM Congress play in accelerating those partnerships?
Hindsight teaches us that the era of asymmetrical aid is over and aid must be a bridge to autonomy, not a leash for dependency. To those who may not know, it is important to understand that Africa now demands equity, not charity. It is foresight that reveals the fact that the UAE and the wider Gulf are making a strategic calculation, which means that our demographic dividends and vast resources align perfectly with their ambitions in food security, energy transition, and supply chain resilience. I can honestly say that this is the dawn of a true South-South economic corridor.
AIM Congress has been and still is the indispensable accelerator in this evolution and the compass that ensures velocity serves vision. It is the world’s leading platform that moves beyond dialogue to active deal-making. With the implementation of the African pavilion, AIM can take credit for curating the critical intersection of African project pipelines with GCC sovereign capital, but more profoundly, it helps the Africa-GCC Council cultivate the ‘architecture of trust’—the essential human element that transforms ministerial handshakes into lasting joint ventures. By showcasing bankable projects in agro-industrialization and digital infrastructure, AIM Congress provides the catalyst to turn our shared vision into tangible, equitable, and swift impact. Our relationship is transitioning from transactional to strategic, and with such platforms sharpening our focus, I am profoundly optimistic about the sustainable prosperity we will build together.
Looking beyond traditional sectors such as mining and energy, where do you see the next wave of African investment opportunities emerging—in areas like digital innovation, agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism, healthcare or the creative economy?
This question touches upon the very heart of the strategic realignment we are witnessing, not just in policy circles, but in the tangible flows of capital and innovation reshaping our continent. Looking beyond extraction, the next wave is defined by value creation. I would say that what I refer to as value addition, wealth generation, economic transformation or capability building will converge across six pillars, beginning with digital innovation, which will serve as the bedrock. Beyond fintech lies the real prize, which is sovereign data infrastructure, AI, and cloud ecosystems that will power every other sector. I would say that this is where Africa leapfrogs.
Agribusiness in Africa has established itself as the new industrial frontier, yet, its enduring frontier will be defined not by what it exports, but by whom it empowers. It is no secret that we hold 65% of the world’s arable land, yet we still import $75 billion in food annually. We must make more of an effort to close that gap through precision farming and regional value chains, given that this is both, a moral imperative and a trillion-dollar opportunity.
Manufacturing is finally awakening and it is being driven by the AfCFTA, proving that true economic sovereignty is not found in the ground, but forged on the factory floor. The opportunity is strategic so that battery metals and pharmaceuticals will be produced here, for the true prize is not the material, but the mastery. Our 30% share of global cobalt, weighed against a mere 1% stake in battery value, creates the very friction that defines your clearest point of entry. Now that it has become the opportune moment to recalibrate our strategy, we must be careful to avoid confusing motion with progress.
Tourism is experiencing a renaissance, repositioning itself as sustainable, experience-led foreign direct investment and poised to reach $3 billion by 2025. Yet, healthcare must remain an immovable national priority. This shift towards emerging destinations is part of a broader trend, with Angola and Algeria
frequently named as the top destinations to watch in 2026. Currently, we manufacture just 1% of our vaccine needs, even as demand exceeds 25%. Unfortunately, this is a gap that exposes our fragility, presents the illusion of our self-sufficiency and uncovers our unwillingness to lead. As this sector expands into a $259 billion behemoth by 2030, the push for resilient, homegrown solutions has never been more critical. I will always remind African leaders that healthcare is not just a moral obligation, but the single most powerful lever for unlocking the continent’s economic potential, securing global health security, and transforming a burgeoning young population into the world’s next great engine of prosperity.
Finally, the creative economy is definitely Africa’s soft power as well as the currency of shared humanity, minted in unapologetic authenticity. With less than 1% of global creative investment reaching us, the arbitrage is immense, from music to gaming as well as to fashion.
The common thread is Interconnection, which is the currency of shared humanity and minted in unapologetic authenticity. Digital enables AgriTech to speak the language of data, but the field always has the last word, healthcare strengthens manufacturing by transforming human capital from a consumable cost into a renewable asset and creativity is what drives tourism by turning landscapes into longing.
The GCC has poured over $100 billion into Africa, yet the next decade is less about resources than about forging partnerships. I am referring to partnerships that effectively build local capabilities and efficiently turn aid into lasting agency.
The question is less about whether to enter, and more about how boldly to act, where the returns are transformative and the moment is right now.
Success for an event like this goes beyond attendance numbers. What outcomes would make AIM Congress 2026 a landmark achievement for the Africa Pavilion, and what measurable impact are you hoping to see in terms of deals, partnerships and investment commitments?
For the Africa Pavilion, a landmark success is not so much about attendance. For us, it is about velocity of execution and the wisdom to choose the right vector. My Co-Founder and I tend to encourage our Africa-GCC Council team to measure victory in three sharp metrics.
The first one is narrative shift and the stillness that holds it. We will feel that we have succeeded when the global investment community stops asking “What are Africa’s risks?” and starts asking “How quickly can we enter this corridor?” We are re-platforming Africa as the GCC’s most logical partner for supply-chain resilience and demographic growth and we are relentless in our pursuit.
I would say that the second benchmark would have to be the tangible commitments. I must continue reiterating that we are not chasing handshakes. We are chasing signatures, for a handshake is merely intent, but a signature is what I would refer to as a debt fulfilled. Our target is to facilitate over US$ 5 billion in closed investment commitments and seed at least 50 operational joint ventures. We are not pursuing that as memoranda, but as executable, capital-backed projects in energy, agribusiness, and digital infrastructure. I am certain that we shall achieve this, not because we see the end, but because we have chosen the path.
The third measure of change would be an enduring infrastructure that outlasts the urgency of its own creation. The ultimate win is a permanent, technology-driven matchmaking platform that outlasts the congress itself, which transforms a three-day event into a year-round engine for sovereign-to-sovereign deal flow.
In short, success is legacy and the seed you plant in futures you’ll never see. We are not hosting a showcase and it is important for those who have never participated in AIM to know that we are building a permanent bridge. When AIM Congress 2026 closes, we will not celebrate footfall, but the trust that outlasts the agenda and the capital that finds its conscience.
We will do our best to highlight and will only celebrate capital deployed, policies aligned, and a corridor that is no longer aspirational, but operational.
To sum it all up, this would be our landmark.
Finally, if you had one minute to convince a CEO, institutional investor or government minister to join you in Dubai this September, what would your sales pitch be, and why is AIM Congress 2026 an opportunity they simply cannot afford to miss?
We all know that there are conferences, and then there are convergences, where conferences are about following the agenda, but convergences are about rewriting it.
AIM Congress 2026, convening this September in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is the latter.
Why must you be there?
Because the old maps of global commerce are being redrawn and yesterday’s trade routes offer little guidance for tomorrow’s markets. The Africa-GCC corridor is not a future possibility and should be seen and accepted as a present reality, where the Africa-GCC Council are the capable architects. As Co-Founder and Senior Chairperson, I invite every AIM attendee to step into this inaugural epicenter of transformation.
This is not an opportunity to observe, but rather, a platform to act, make an impact, drive change, shape the outcome and build the future. At the Dubai World Trade Centre, over 20,000 leaders from more than 180 countries—sovereign wealth funds, ministers, institutional investors, and visionary founders—will converge. Our theme, “Reshaping Global Prosperity: Unlocking New Investment Pathways,” is not rhetoric. I can honestly say that it is our agenda and our mission, plain and simple.
In our Africa Pavilion, conversations will be engineered to convert into capital, and ideas into cross-border deals. You will not merely network; you will forge the partnerships that will define the next decade of sustainable, inclusive growth. Hindsight will mark this moment as the dividing line for those left behind, whereas foresight compels your presence here and now. Join us and let us write it, together, in Dubai this September.
*Culled from August Issue of PAV Magazine
