Standard Bank gathers Africa’s top business minds in Cape Town

More than 140 of Africa’s top business leaders, policymakers and global investors are gathering in Cape Town this week with a single, urgent question in mind: how to scale African businesses and unlock intra-continental trade in an increasingly fragmented global economy.

The two-day Africa Unlocked 2026 conference, hosted by Standard Bank at the Norval Foundation on 9–10 July, comes at a critical moment.

As global supply chains shift and geopolitical tensions disrupt traditional markets, implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is taking centre stage as both an economic shield and a growth engine for the continent.

From potential to scale
Now in its third year, the summit has moved beyond high-level theory to focus on practical execution. Under the theme “Built in Africa: Amplifying Continental Growth,” attendees are examining how mid-sized local companies can grow into pan-African champions.

“Across the continent, we are seeing businesses expanding into new markets, entrepreneurs scaling with confidence, and investment supporting infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation,” said Sim Tshabalala, chief executive of Standard Bank Group.

He said the next phase of Africa’s economic resilience will depend on deepening regional integration and funding the productive economy — pointing to finance as one of the continent’s most persistent bottlenecks to expansion.

The summit will tackle this directly, exploring the “architecture of African capital” and how to blend domestic funds with international finance to bankroll large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects.

AI and energy in focus
The agenda also reflects a shift in how African executives view technology and sustainability.

Rather than treating artificial intelligence as a distant prospect, a dedicated track — “AI in the Engine Room” — will look at how heavy industry, logistics and agriculture are already using AI to close productivity gaps and compete globally.

Leaders will also weigh the challenge of balancing energy security, resource management and climate pressures, as the continent tries to industrialise while meeting global green energy commitments.

Bill Blackie, chief executive of business and commercial banking at Standard Bank Group, said the continent’s growth story is increasingly being shaped by companies expanding across borders.

“Africa’s growth story is increasingly being written by businesses that are scaling across borders, attracting investment and embracing innovation,” Blackie said.

“This is about bringing together decision-makers who can turn opportunity into measurable economic growth.”

A heavyweight guest list
The event brings together senior figures from both the private and public sectors. Mohammed Dewji, chief executive of MeTL Group, joins institutional leaders including Mmakgoshi Lekhethe, chief executive of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Other speakers and participating organisations include Goolam Ballim, chief economist at Standard Bank Group, and Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at AGBIZ, who will unpack the near-term macroeconomic outlook; Trudi Makhaya, head of geopolitics at Standard Bank Group, on how African trade can navigate a fractured global political landscape; and senior executives from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the Botswana Stock Exchange, and the Microsoft Africa Development Centre.

As investors look increasingly toward alternative emerging markets, the Cape Town summit aims to demonstrate that Africa’s most compelling investment opportunities now lie not just in raw commodities, but in scalable companies built on the continent itself.

The conference concludes on 10 July, with organisers hoping leaders will leave with practical, bankable frameworks to accelerate cross-border trade and strengthen the continent’s economic resilience.