The Federal Government of Nigeria, 23 countries in Africa and 45 other countries globally have confirmed their readiness to participate in the Carbon Markets Africa Summit 2026 scheduled to hold from 13 to 15 October 2026 at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda with a view to exploring more investment opportunities for Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries’ climate agenda over the next years.
The summit will feature more than 100 speakers, over 50 investors, buyers and financiers, 20 African governments and more than 40 project developers, thus reflecting the growing engagement with African carbon markets from governments, project developers, financiers and credit buyers.
Speaking on the planned event, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, said the summit represented an opportunity for continental participants to play a central role in determining how the market develops.
He explained: “This gathering of the leading players in African carbon markets represents a continental ownership in driving the future of carbon markets shaped by Africans, for the benefit of Africa.”
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A news report from the African Press Organisation (APO) Group distributed on behalf of VUKA Group, indicated that investor and buyer participation at the forum would will add an important commercial dimension to the gathering.
The online medium disclosed that the dedicated Investor Roundtables will provide focused opportunities for capital providers, buyers and project developers to engage directly, while meetings across the summit will allow participants to identify potential partnerships and areas for further engagement.
The news report further confirmed that more than 40 project developers and project representatives working across sectors including nature-based solutions, agriculture, waste, clean cooking and carbon removals would also participate at the summit, providing investors and buyers with direct exposure to projects from across the continent.
Commenting on the event, Sourcing Manager, Africa Climate Impact Partners, Maggie Kinyanjui, explained that greater engagement between project developers, buyers and investors remained essential to building a stronger African carbon market.
The expert clarified: “Africa should not just participate in carbon markets. We should help shape them. The opportunity is to build a market that attracts capital, rewards integrity and ensures that value reaches the countries and communities delivering climate impact.”
In his remarks, Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, Carbon Standards, Amy Rhoades, said that meaningful engagement across the carbon value chain was critical to the growth of credible carbon removal solutions on the continent.
He explained: “Africa isn’t waiting for global carbon markets to mature; it’s actively building them. At Carbon Markets Africa Summit, we’re not just sponsoring a conference, we’re engaging the policymakers, entrepreneurs, and buyers who are building the carbon removal ecosystem in Africa. That engagement is the future of credible CDR and that’s why Carbon Standards is in Kigali this October.”
With the summit now a few days away, Portfolio Director, Emmanuelle Nicholls, said the breadth of participation had been particularly encouraging.
“The real opportunity lies in bringing decision-makers, financiers, buyers and project developers into the same room. Those conversations can help unlock investment, strengthen project pipelines and accelerate the partnerships needed to scale African carbon markets.”
The CMAS 2026 is hosted by the Ministry of Environment of Rwanda, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and African Development Bank (AfDB) as host organisations, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) as host partner and AUDA-NEPAD as strategic institutional partner.
The scale and diversity of participation heading to Kigali reflect a market increasingly attracting attention from governments, investors, buyers and project developers alike. As these groups come together over three days, the focus will shift from market ambition to the partnerships and transactions needed to move implementation forward.
The timing of the summit also coincides with an active period for international carbon markets. These discussions will take place at a time when key international carbon market rules and mechanisms continue to evolve. The Article 6.4 Supervisory Body, which oversees the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, is holding its 23rd meeting this week in Bonn, immediately ahead of CMAS 2026.
Against this international backdrop, discussions in Kigali will provide an opportunity for African governments and market participants to consider what developments in the global market mean in practice for the continent, while investors, buyers and project developers explore opportunities for greater cooperation.
