Impact Africa Business says more than 180 delegates registered for the London summit. The organiser is also exploring a proposed fund to support investment-ready projects across Africa.
London, United Kingdom | November 2026
More than 180 delegates registered for the UK–Africa investment summit, according to organiser Impact Africa Business. The summit took place on 29 October 2026 at the University of East London’s Docklands campus.
The event brought together investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs, financial institutions and policymakers. Impact Africa Business and the university jointly hosted the Impact Africa Business & Investment Summit 2026. They aimed to strengthen UK–Africa trade, business and investment ties.
A central message emerged from the discussions. Africa’s investment conversation must move from identifying challenges to taking practical action. Panellists discussed investment readiness, infrastructure financing, access to capital and trade opportunities. They also explored how stronger partnerships could connect African businesses and projects with international investors.
Vanessa Varvas and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah delivered keynote addresses. Varvas is Vice-President and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer (Growth and Engagement) at the University of East London. Quansah serves as Deputy Head of Mission at the Ghana High Commission in the UK.
Varvas emphasised the role universities can play in Africa’s economic growth. She highlighted how partnerships with businesses and other institutions can develop talent and turn research into practical opportunities. She also called for universities to have a role in discussions on investment and enterprise development.
Quansah focused on African ownership and leadership in economic development. He encouraged Africans to identify opportunities and take the initiative in shaping the continent’s economic future. He also urged them to seek the expertise, partnerships and funding needed to bring projects to fruition. Both speakers stressed that Africa’s growth depends on African-led action, strong institutions and better access to expertise and capital.
One of the summit’s main outcomes was the launch of the Impact Africa Investment Opportunities Portal. The platform aims to identify and assess projects in Africa and the UK. It will help project owners structure their proposals and connect with potential investors.
Many promising projects struggle to secure financing because they lack adequate documentation, suitable financial structures or access to investors. Impact Africa Business says the portal aims to address those gaps.
Through the portal, Impact Africa Business aims to work with project owners, investment agencies, professional advisers and financial institutions. It wants to improve how project owners prepare and present opportunities to investors. The aim is to help credible projects become ready for investment and connect them with advisers, institutions and potential investors.
Kwabena Anoff, Convener and Executive Director of Impact Africa Business, said: “The Summit was an important milestone, but the real work begins now. For too long, conversations about Africa’s investment potential have focused on the challenges. We want to shift that conversation towards practical action.
Our priority is to identify credible opportunities, help project owners develop the right structures and documentation, and connect them with investors and institutions capable of supporting their growth.
We are not simply building a platform to display opportunities. We want to create pathways through which promising projects can become investment-ready and move closer to securing capital.”
Since the summit, Impact Africa Business has focused on bringing credible projects onto the portal. It is helping owners prepare them for investment. It is also building relationships with institutions and advisers across African markets.
Impact Africa Business says early talks cover opportunities linked to Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy initiative and potential projects with the Gabon Business Alliance. It is also discussing project submissions and investment collaboration with Cameroon’s CDIC.
The organisation is discussing cross-border business partnerships and potential projects with the Senegal–UK Chamber of Commerce. In Morocco, it is exploring work with Pan Africa Advisory on project structuring, documentation and preparation for financing.
Through these discussions, the organisation aims to build a pipeline of African projects. It can then assess the projects and help prepare them for investors. Impact Africa Business is inviting project owners, chambers of commerce, investment agencies, financial institutions and advisers to use the portal. It wants project owners to have the information and professional support they need before approaching investors.
The Impact Africa Business Governing Council plans to expand its programme in 2027. It wants wider African representation, more institutions to take part and a greater focus on helping projects secure investment.
As part of that programme, the council is exploring a proposed Impact Africa Fund. The fund would raise capital for investment-ready projects across Africa. Impact Africa Business plans to work with institutional and professional partners on the fund’s structure, governance and investment strategy. That work will also need to address regulatory requirements.
Papa Kow Bartels chairs the Impact Africa Business Governing Council. He previously headed trade and investment at the Ghana High Commission in the UK. He outlined the council’s plans.
“The success of the 2026 Summit demonstrates the growing appetite for meaningful UK–Africa business and investment partnerships. However, our ambition extends far beyond organising an annual event.
As a Governing Council, we want to see Impact Africa Business grow into a stronger platform for connecting governments, investors, financial institutions and the private sector around practical economic opportunities.
Looking ahead to 2027, we are planning a bigger, more inclusive and more impactful Summit, supported by stronger institutional partnerships and a growing pipeline of investment-ready projects.
We are also calling on banks, development finance institutions, investment firms, professional advisers and strategic partners to join us in shaping the proposed Impact Africa Fund. Our ambition is to develop a credible and sustainable initiative capable of supporting meaningful investment across African markets.”
Kwabena Anoff added: “The proposed Impact Africa Fund represents an important part of our longer-term vision, but we recognise that building such an initiative requires the right partners, expertise and governance.
We welcome engagement from institutions and investors who share our commitment to moving beyond conversations and helping turn credible African opportunities into real investment outcomes.”
Impact Africa Business will hold its Gala & Recognition Night on Friday, 11 December 2026. The venue is the Clayton Hotel Manchester City Centre. The evening will feature the 2026 edition of the UK–Africa Business Power Circle 15. It will recognise people who have helped advance UK–Africa trade, investment and economic partnerships.
Impact Africa Business hopes the awards will encourage more entrepreneurs, investors and professionals to get involved in African business. The gala will also give business leaders, investors and institutions a chance to build on relationships they formed at the summit.
The summit brought together people and institutions that can help African projects attract investment. Its lasting impact will depend on what follows. With the portal now open, Impact Africa Business is turning its attention to preparing projects and introducing them to potential investors.
As preparations begin for 2027, the organisation is inviting institutions, investors and businesses to help shape the expanded programme.
From conversations to action. From opportunities to investment. From partnerships to lasting impact.
About Impact Africa Business
Impact Africa Business is a UK-based organisation that promotes trade, investment and institutional partnerships between the UK and Africa. It works through its summits, partnerships, investment initiatives and Investment Opportunities Portal.
