The Impact Africa Business & Investment Summit 2026 has launched an investment opportunities portal designed to help turn credible African projects into investment-ready propositions and connect them with potential sources of capital.
More than 180 delegates attended the event at the University of East London’s Docklands Campus on 29 October 2026. Investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, policymakers and institutional representatives gathered to discuss stronger trade, business and investment links between the United Kingdom and Africa.
The summit, convened by Impact Africa Business in partnership with the University of East London, focused on investment readiness, infrastructure financing, access to capital and trade opportunities. A central message was that discussion of Africa’s investment prospects must move beyond identifying challenges and towards practical delivery.
The newly launched Impact Africa Investment Opportunities Portal is intended to identify, structure, vet and present projects to suitable investors. Impact Africa Business said many promising opportunities remain unfunded because of weaknesses in documentation, financial structuring, investment readiness and access to the right institutions.
The organisation plans to work with project owners, investment agencies, professional advisers and financial institutions to improve the preparation of proposals. Its aim is not simply to list projects, but to help credible opportunities secure the expertise, partnerships and capital required to progress.
Kwabena Anoff, Convener and Executive Director of Impact Africa Business, said: “The Summit was an important milestone, but the real work begins now. For too long, conversations about Africa’s investment potential have focused on the challenges. We want to shift that conversation towards practical action.
“Our priority is to identify credible opportunities, help project owners develop the right structures and documentation, and connect them with investors and institutions capable of supporting their growth.
“We are not simply building a platform to display opportunities. We want to create pathways through which promising projects can become investment-ready and move closer to securing capital.”
African leadership and institutional partnerships
Keynote speaker Vanessa Varvas, Vice-President & Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer (Growth & Engagement) at the University of East London, highlighted the role of strategic partnerships and academia in supporting Africa’s economic development.
She said collaboration between universities, businesses and institutions could help develop talent, encourage innovation and connect knowledge with practical opportunities.
Hon. Aquina Tawiah Quansah, Deputy Head of Mission at the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom, urged Africans to take greater responsibility for shaping the continent’s economic future by identifying opportunities, taking initiative and securing the expertise, partnerships and funding needed to deliver projects.
Following the summit, Impact Africa Business began developing a wider Pan-African pipeline. Engagements include Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy initiative, the Gabon Business Alliance, Cameroon’s CDIC, the Senegal–UK Chamber of Commerce and Pan Africa Advisory in Morocco.
The discussions cover economic transformation opportunities, project submissions, cross-border partnerships, project structuring, investment documentation and access to capital.
Plans for 2027
The Impact Africa Business Governing Council is planning a larger 2027 programme, with broader African representation, stronger institutional involvement and a greater focus on measurable investment outcomes.
It is also exploring the proposed Impact Africa Fund. Its structure, governance, investment strategy and regulatory requirements have yet to be developed and will be considered with institutional and professional partners.
Papa Kow Bartels, Chairman of the Impact Africa Business Governing Council and former Head of Trade & Investment at the Ghana High Commission in the UK, said the organisation wanted to develop beyond an annual event and become a platform linking governments, investors, financial institutions and the private sector.
He added that banks, development finance institutions, investment firms, professional advisers and strategic partners were being asked to help shape the proposed fund.
Anoff said the fund was part of the organisation’s longer-term vision, but stressed that it would require suitable partners, expertise and governance.
The next major event will be the Impact Africa Business Gala & Recognition Night on Friday, 11 December 2026, at Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre. It will include the UK–Africa Business Power Circle 15 2026 Edition, recognising people contributing to trade, investment and economic partnerships between the UK and Africa.
Impact Africa Business said its priorities were now to onboard credible projects, improve investment readiness, connect opportunities with appropriate capital partners and strengthen lasting UK–Africa economic relationships.
