Power of bringing people doing business in Africa - or wanting to - together in the room (AFSIC)

For talented young Ghanaian entrepreneur Ebenezer Ghanney, there’s no better place to be this week than AFSIC - Investing in Africa 2025, which as a second-time attendee he describes as the best type of investment event he has been to as it brings together a wide variety of investors who are heavily focused on Africa.

“If you’re looking at getting into other African markets you can meet a variety of African nations and fast-track relationships and opportunities,” says Ghanney, the 29-year-old founder and CEO of WeWire, which harnesses new technologies to offer convenient, fast, and reliable FX and cross-border payment solutions. “AFSIC is a place to meet people, all looking to build businesses in Africa, and set up capital.”

Last year, Ghanney attended AFSIC at a time he was looking to expand WeWire into Mauritius, and at AFSIC he was able to meet government people from Mauritius’s Financial Services Commission, which helped him expand his business more quickly.

With more than 1,500 of the most senior and influential people within the African Investment world attending AFSIC 2025, including 350+ investors, the first day was packed with vital connections, information sharing, and key conversations.

Expert panels discussed key topics and industries including Agriculture, Critical Minerals, Fintech, and Manufacturing, there were plentiful ‘Meet the Investors’ opportunities, and African nations including Botswana and Zambia hosted Investment Summits full of dignitaries and exciting opportunities.

At a stirring country investment summit on the first afternoon, “Investing in Botswana: Unlocking Africa’s Next Frontier for Sustainable Capital”, the Vice President and Minister of Finance of Botswana, Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe, stressed the importance of partnerships for African nations like his. Finding good partners who have a long-term view, bring insights and expertise, and believe in Africa.

“We stand on the threshold of a new era where diamonds are not just found underground but within our people,” said the Vice President in an impassioned address that spoke of the evolving Botswana story, international successes like a recent satellite launch and their historic world championship winning 4x400m relay team, and also showcased several transformational infrastructure projects..

“Botswana is forward-thinking, reform-driven, and open for business,” said the Vice President to AFSIC attendees. We see ourselves not as land-locked, but land-linked… Botswana is no longer content to be defined by stability alone, but transformation… but no nation can transform alone. Partnerships carry dreams across borders.”

Among the entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, bankers, development programmes, and others, there were also several African lawyers in attendance.

Kwadwo Gyasi Ntrakwah, Senior Partner of highly regarded Ghanaian law firm Ntrakwah & Co, told Africa Legal that he was attending this year’s AFSIC in dual roles: under the umbrella of Meritas, a global alliance of leading independent law firms; and on behalf of his firm to connect with the business community across Africa.

“It’s good to meet new people, and AFSIC brings together people doing business in Africa or wanting to do business in Africa, so that’s great to see. Ghana is the star of West Africa and is ripe for business, with agriculture and infrastructure still key. In terms of the future, we’re looking at sustainable development and carbon markets. ”

With AFSIC being the largest investment event focused on Africa, held outside of the continent, it’s an ideal opportunity to meet with clients, businesses, and investors interested in the region, says Lawrence Fubara Anga, a leading Nigerian lawyer who heads the Banking, Finance & Capital Markets Practice Group at AELEX.

Many positive things are happening in Nigeria, says Anga, with Africa’s most-populated nation going through a period of regulatory and legislative reform, and currency stability. But now is the time to move from policy change to reality.

Fellow Nigerian lawyer Ajibola Edwards, the Deputy Managing Partner of Lagos-based AK & Co, attended several sessions throughout AFSIC day one.

Speaking to Africa Legal after a fascinating afternoon panel on “Harvesting Prosperity: Scaling Agricultural Investment in Africa”, Edwards said he felt it was important to attend AFSIC to help keep up with various trends affecting Africa.

“We want to know where the capital is going, and why,” he said. “It’s a chance to listen to investors and the people looking for capital, because it’s at that juncture where we find space for us as lawyers to help, and provide advice to current and future clients.”

Africa Legal is proud to support AFSIC 2025 as a media partner, providing exclusive insights and coverage of key discussions shaping Africa’s investment future. View the AFSIC 2025 agenda here.