Africa Business Forum 2026 to Spotlight Blended Finance, Youth Jobs and Investment Partnerships in Addis Ababa

The Africa Business Forum (ABF) is convened annually by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in partnership with stakeholders including the African Union Commission, and is held on the sidelines of the African Union Summit as a high-level engagement platform for heads of state, private sector leaders, development finance institutions and international partners.

UNECA said that over eight editions the forum has built a track record focused on turning commitments into implementation, positioning it as a venue to address development priorities and emerging opportunities.

For 2026, UNECA said ABF will be repositioned as a leading platform to mobilise partnerships and investment, including blended finance, to advance Africa’s youth economy under a theme focused on creating jobs at scale, strengthening innovation ecosystems and unlocking creative value across digital industries, MSMEs and fast-growing creative sectors.

A flagship mechanism will be the Jobs Wall Commitment Tracker, which UNECA described as a visibility and accountability tool designed to capture and track public and private sector commitments announced at ABF 2026, support transparent follow-up and highlight progress over time.

UNECA said the 2026 programme will include Presidential Dialogues, thematic roundtables and an exhibition showcase aimed at connecting MSMEs and solution providers with financiers and investors to catalyse partnerships and mobilise investment.

The event venue is the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the event listing gives a daily time slot of 9:00 am to 3:00 pm with registration opening at 8:00 am.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍