A leading industrialist and Africa’s foremost entrepreneur, Aliko Dangote, has advised leaders in Sub-Sharan Africa (SSA) to ensure that Africa stops sending its capital abroad and start investing in its own industrial future to promote sustainable growth in the various countries of the continent.
Dangote, the President and CEO of Dangote Group, told global business leaders at Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum held in New York, USA, today, as he set out an ambitious vision for African industrialization backed by billions of dollars in investment, new refining capacity, and broader public ownership.
A news report from the African Press Organisation (APO) Group on the event quoted the industrialist as pointing to Asia’s economic rise, arguing that Africa cannot build comparable industrial strength while its own money continues to flow into foreign banks and markets.
Emphasizing the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in creating the scale required for major industrial projects in SSA, the industrialist maintained that “we must believe in our continent” and urged businesses to stay focused despite the challenges involved in building major organizations in Africa.
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Dangote explained: “Once you start, it gets easier. But the more you don’t do anything, it becomes difficult.”
According to the online medium, with more than 3,000 African and global business leaders and heads of state gathered for the two-day forum in New York, Unstoppable Africa 2026 demonstrated the scale of global interest in Africa’s economic opportunities and the appetite for stronger commercial partnerships with the continent.
The APO Group further reported that another notable highlight was the South African Business Initiative for Impact (SABII), which brought South Africa’s business, investment, and partnership proposition into sharper focus, even as discussions explored how local opportunities can connect with global capital and translate into tangible economic impact.
Speaking at the event, Director of the African Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Eine Zeidane, highlighted the importance of structural reforms, stronger domestic financial markets, and wider African markets through AfCFTA in attracting private investment.
This is even as the discussions also turned to the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy, with CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola, highlighting the opportunity presented by Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, and pointing to digital payments, AI, and other technologies that can help businesses access markets and grow.
In his contribution to the discussions at the forum, Founder and CEO of Signverse, Elly Savatia, spoke about technology’s potential to expand inclusion through African sign languages.
With U$2 million in Google funding, Signverse has developed the largest publicly documented dataset for an African sign language to date and is building a framework that can expand to multiple local sign languages.
For sports development in his country, President of Namibia, H.E. Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah, signed a partnership agreement between the Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Foundation (NNN Foundation) and the Queens of the Continent Foundation (QoTC), founded by two-time WNBA All-Star and ESPN host Chiney Ogwumike.
The partnership will explore opportunities to support the empowerment and development of young people in Namibia, with a particular focus on girls and young women.
The APO Group further reported that he creative economy was another major focus, with speakers highlighting the growing ability of African brands, filmmakers, and technology innovators to build global audiences and markets.
Speaking at the event, the Manager, Creatives at Afreximbank, Khanyi Mashimbiye, highlighted the bank’s CANEX programme, which connects African fashion brands with international buyers through Tranoï in Paris and Japan and Coterie in New York. Since 2022, the initiative has secured more than 120 offtake agreements, with Zimbabwean brand Vanu Vanwerk now selling in more than 50 stores globally.
In her closing remarks at the forum, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed said: “We are entering a new age of technology and AI that will fundamentally shape the future, and Africa has a tremendous opportunity to leapfrog. Just as industrialisation transformed economies and created new forms of work, AI can open new pathways for growth, innovation and opportunity. Africa has the talent and the ideas.
“What we need is the opportunity, infrastructure and investment to deploy them at scale. This is a moment for Africa to shape its own AI story, combining the continent’s talent with the technology and infrastructure needed to build the future”, she added
As the conversations concluded, the focus turned to the practical work ahead: translating Africa’s investment momentum into initiatives that can deliver growth, jobs, and lasting economic value.
