About this Event
The UK–Africa relationship is moving from aid towards investment, trade, security and skills partnerships, and the Summit is refreshed to lead that conversation in London. Moving ABLA to its own event, and closing the Summit with new UK–Africa Leadership Awards, lets the Summit speak to — and celebrate — the whole relationship, not one community of business leaders.
Why now
• From aid to partnership. UK official development assistance is falling towards 0.3% of national income by 2027. Governments, investors and African partners are looking for new models: blended finance, guarantees, trade and co-investment.
• Africa's growth story. Africa has the world's youngest and fastest-growing population. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is building a single market across 54 countries.
• The minerals and energy race. Africa holds a large share of the minerals that the energy transition and defence supply chains depend on. African governments now insist on local processing and value addition.
• Security is shared. Instability in the Sahel, the Horn and the Red Sea, maritime crime and cyber threats affect UK and African interests alike.
• London's convening power. The City, British International Investment (BII), UK Export Finance, universities and a large African diaspora make London a natural base.
Objectives
1. Convene senior UK and African leaders from government, business, finance, security, academia and the diaspora.
2. Move each of the seven sectors from dialogue to concrete projects, deals and partnerships.
3. Showcase African investment opportunities to UK capital, and UK expertise to African partners.
4. Give youth, women and diaspora leaders a real platform, not a side panel.
5. Recognise the leadership of individuals and organisations, from Africa and the UK, through the UK–Africa Leadership Awards.
6. Establish the Summit as London's annual reference point for UK–Africa cooperation.
Sector tracks
Each of the seven sectors gets a dedicated session with a clear question, a target outcome and a sector partner. Critical minerals and capital also feature in plenary because they cut across every track.
Health
Healthy Nations, Shared Science
How can UK–Africa partnership build local vaccine and medicine manufacturing, health workforce and digital health?
Technology
Africa's Digital Decade
How can UK and African tech ecosystems co-build AI, fintech, data centres and digital public infrastructure?
Energy
Powering the Continent
How do we close the access gap while growing gas, renewables, grids and green hydrogen responsibly?
Defence and Security
Shared Security, Shared Stability
How can UK–Africa cooperation tackle terrorism, maritime insecurity, cyber threats and peacekeeping, and grow local defence industry?
Critical Minerals
From Pit to Product (plenary)
How can Africa capture more value from its minerals while securing responsible supply chains for the UK?
Education and Skills
Skills for the World's Youngest Workforce
How can UK universities, colleges and EdTech build skills, research and jobs at scale in Africa?
Event venue & nearby stays
Hilton London Metropole, 225 Edgware Road, London W2 1JU. United Kingdom., London, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.