Unlocking Sustainable Economic Growth Opportunities: Transforming UK-Africa Trade Relations, Investment and Value Chains for Resilience

The UK-Africa trade and investment landscape is a growing but still relatively modest part of Britain’s global economic engagement, underpinned by historical links, strategic partnerships and post-Brexit trade policies. In 2024–2025 total bilateral trade in goods and services between the UK and Africa reached around £45 billion, with UK exports at roughly £25 billion and imports from Africa at £15.8 billion in goods alone, highlighting both the value of African commodities and the UK’s reliance on service exports to the continent. UK services exports to Africa outpaced goods, reaching about £15.2 billion, while goods exports accounted for £10 billion of that overall total. Major African partners include South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and Ghana, with South Africa traditionally the largest market.

On investment, the UK has a long-standing presence in African markets: the stock of UK foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa rose to about £49.6 billion by 2023, with steady albeit modest growth over the past decade. London and UK financial institutions also serve as key hubs for African investment flows, and Africa accounts for a share of inbound FDI into the UK, notably from South African and Nigerian firms. However, some analyses point to a “flatline” in UK trade and investment growth with Sub-Saharan Africa, with Africa’s share of UK exports and imports remaining around 2–3 % of total UK global trade and British investment flows into the region growing slowly.

Policy efforts including economic and trade agreements (EPAs), tariff-free access under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), UKEF export finance support, British Investment International (BII), Manufacturing Africa and high-level summits such as AfBC aim to deepen commercial links, especially in infrastructure, technology, renewable energy and services sectors. These initiatives seek to leverage Africa’s dynamic economies — several of which are among the world’s fastest-growing while creating opportunities for UK firms and addressing development goals across the continent.

Join us for this year

AfBC UK – Africa Summit 2026 in London—an essential platform for strengthening economic ties, trade, FDI and investment between the UK and Africa.

London | Thursday, 15 October 2026

Theme: Unlocking Sustainable Economic Growth Opportunities - Transforming UK-Africa Trade Relations, Investment and Value Chains for Resilience

The Programme

09:00 - 12:30 High-Level Economic, Trade, Investment & Strategic Business Forum

09:00 - 10:30

Welcome and keynote address

Boosting the UK - Africa trade corridor, strategies and policies - Unlocking sustainable growth, partnerships, trade and investment, supply chains in a changing competetive global economy.

Promoting smart development and trade digitalisation

11:00 - 12:30

Unlocking high growth markets and industries investment opportunities

Investing in sustainable sectors, energy, mining and critical mineraals

Strengthening African capital and financial markets, smart investment and blended finance

12:30 - 13:30 Networking Lunch

13:30 - 15:00 Capital, Investment & Projects Forum

Bankable projects for investment in infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, healthcare, logistics, transport, mining, creatives, real estate and industrial development.

Practical case studies, successful financing models, and emerging opportunities across African markets.

15:30 - 17:00 B2G & B2B Trade, Partnership and Matchmaking Forum

18:00 - 21:00 UK - Africa Business Networking Reception

This premier annual event brings together business leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, diaspora and professionals to explore Africa’s vibrant economic landscape and emerging investment opportunities. The Summit is dedicated to unlocking sustainable trade, investment, and financing pathways, fostering meaningful partnerships, and offering actionable insights for doing business across the continent.

Focused on accelerating UK–Africa economic collaboration, the Summit convenes a diverse network of stakeholders, including government officials, corporate executives, business leaders, development finance institutions DFIs, multilateral development banks, institutional investors, philanthropists, venture capitalists (VCs), industry experts, academics, professionals and members of the diaspora.

Attendees will:

Discover high-potential investment opportunities that promote inclusive and long-term growth in Africa.

Engage with expert speakers and thought leaders shaping strategic economic decisions.

Participate in dynamic discussions on trends in ESG-driven innovation, sustainable and impact investing, and navigating Africa’s evolving markets.

Explore compelling case studies and pioneering projects that demonstrate how responsible investment generates tangible benefits for both communit

Description supplied by the event organiser.