London will host on 24 September 2025 the UK-Africa Business Forum (Trade and Investment 2025) organised by the African Business Chamber (AfBC) in the United Kingdom.
The one-day event will bring together many investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders from the UK and Africa to discuss key topics, including reimagining UK-Africa economic growth, sustainable and impact investing, cross-border trade innovation, market access, and supply chain resilience.
Unlocking trade and investment for Africa
This event will focus on unlocking sustainable trade and investment opportunities, facilitating impactful partnerships, and providing practical strategies for successful business operations across the African continent.
As a participant in this business forum, you can benefit in joining networking opportunities, knowledge sharing discussion, and creating strategic partnerships that promote mutual economic growth in the UK and indeed across Africa.
London, a leading financial hub.
Since Brexit, London has regained its position as the leading financial hub in the world, just behind New-York. In March, Long Finance, a reference financial institution, published the World Hub Financial Ranking, with New York coming first and London second, gaining twelve points in catching up with its US rival. London could offer a lot to African businesses in supporting the continent’s growth.
Among the 133 world financial hubs compared, London ranks second in the world but first in Europe, and the UK is globally the sixth largest economy, ahead of France and just behind Japan.
Services primarily drive the UK economy. In 2024, the tertiary sector accounted for 80.8% of gross value added and 82.4% of total employment.
London strengths.
London is one of the world’s largest financial centres, the weight of financial services and the insurance sector in the UK economy is relatively higher than in other comparable economies 8.7% of gross value added and 4.4% of the workforce.
Manufacturing, however, remains significant, accounting for 8.9% of value added and 8.1% of employment.
The steel industry (1.0%), the pharmaceutical industry (0.8%), and the manufacturing of electronic and optical products (0.6%).
Africa could also be interested in the UK government’s focus on renewable energy, including wind and solar panels. The UK aims to generate 95% of its electricity from clean sources by 2030. This goal is challenging indeed, but the Labour government is willing to win it. In the 12 months leading up to January 2025, renewable energy sources accounted for just over two-fifths (42.3%) of the UK’s total energy production.
Business opportunities in Africa.
As anticipation builds for the forthcoming UK-Africa business forum, specialists from a wide range of backgrounds are expected to attend, seeking fresh opportunities not just in anglophone but also in francophone and lusophone countries on the continent.
The mining sector in Africa remains robust, yet there is a clear shift in the landscape. Governments across Africa are showing a stronger commitment to forging equitable, win-win deals. Against a backdrop of persistent unemployment, leaders are under pressure to create jobs at home. This urgency has led many to call for a renewed focus on establishing manufacturing industries that add value to Africa’s abundant raw agricultural and mineral resources.
With increased internet penetration in Africa, the telecoms sector is booming, driven by digitally savvy young people. Africa’s smartphone market surged by 24% in early 2024, driven by the growing demand for affordable devices. Nigeria led the way with a 42% increase in smartphone shipments, while South Africa and Egypt saw growth of 19% and 39%, respectively. In Sub-Saharan Africa, traditionally, a large portion of the population lacked access to formal banking, but mobile money platforms have provided a convenient and accessible alternative for sending, receiving, and managing money. The London forum should address this issue and explore ways to strengthen it.
The African Chamber of Commerce (AfBC) in London would intervene to fill the void left by the postponement of the UK-Africa Investment Summit (UK-AIS) to an indefinite date, a postponement due to the pressure of international news agenda of the Starmer government. Observers say there is ample room to deepen and improve the UK-Africa business relationship, with AfBC positioning itself as a key facilitator.
Many believe that relaunching UK-AIS as quickly as possible would be a strategic decision beneficial to the UK and Africa, particularly as the US administration and other global players intensify their efforts to strengthen business ties with Africa. The moment, according to experts, is ripe for renewed collaboration and for building lasting partnerships that drive growth on both sides.
Sources: RSM – Reuters – AfBC – World Bank – Gov.uk