Forthcoming Events

African Economy: Can We Miss the Investment Opportunity of the Next Decade?
Webinar

Background: Africa’s economy is entering a decisive decade. With the world’s fastest-growing population, rapid urbanization, accelerating digital adoption, and vast untapped natural and human capital, the continent is increasingly central to global growth dynamics. Yet Africa remains underrepresented in international investment portfolios, often due to outdated perceptions and limited understanding of on-the-ground realities.
This webinar explores whether investors can afford to overlook what may be one of the most significant investment opportunities of the next decade. We will examine key macroeconomic trends, sector-specific opportunities—from infrastructure and energy to technology and agribusiness—and the evolving role of local capital markets. The discussion will also address risks, structural challenges, and the importance of long-term, impact-oriented investment strategies.
By combining data, case studies, and expert insights, the session aims to provide a nuanced, realistic view of Africa’s economic trajectory and help investors assess where value may emerge in the years ahead.

Chair:

Ondiro Oganga is an international correspondent, moderator, and podcast host covering African and global economic affairs. Reporting for Bloomberg News, she covers macroeconomics, markets, geopolitics, and policy across sub-Saharan Africa. She has interviewed heads of state, central bank governors, and Fortune 500 CEOs. She is also the host of Corporate Cocktail Africa, Africa’s leading business news podcasts, where she convenes C-suite executives, policymakers, and global decision-makers for in-depth, agenda-setting conversations. Known for clarity, command, and on-the-ground intelligence, Ondiro is a trusted moderator for senior-level public and private forums, and has moderated high-profile platforms including MWC, AFIS, TED & AFS.

Speakers:

Gbite Oduneye is Managing Partner at ODBA, an early stage venture capital firm backing technology companies across Africa. He is also Chair of the Africa Tech 50 (AT50) Index and Chairman of Indexa Exchange Group, an index company building benchmark products for Africa’s innovation economy across technology and SMEs, including the Africa Tech Index suite (AT50 and AT100) and the AE2000 SME Index. His work sits at the intersection of venture investing, market infrastructure, and capital markets readiness, focused on helping high growth African companies become investable, visible, and listing ready. Gbite is based between London and Lagos.

Tighisti Amare is the Director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, a position she assumed in August 2025 after more than 15 years at the Institute, including her most recent position as Deputy Director. She is responsible for the Programme’s strategic direction, fundraising, and oversight of research quality and impact. She also leads efforts to deepen engagement with a wide network of stakeholders across Africa and globally. Her work includes directing high-impact research initiatives and convening policy dialogues with senior African and international decision-makers on issues related to political economy, security, governance, and Africa’s international relations.

Her research interests include Africa’s evolving role in global governance, multilateralism, Africa–Europe relations, geopolitical realignments, and regional integration. Her recent publications examine African responses to multipolarity, the continent’s engagement with language-based multilateral organizations, and the role of soft power in Africa–UK relations.

Anushka Bogdanov is a globally respected expert in ESG, sustainable finance, and risk governance, with more than three decades of experience as a senior banking executive, board leader, and impact-driven entrepreneur. She brings an exceptional combination of institutional experience, academic contribution, and human-centred leadership that spans over 80 countries, working across public, private, and multilateral sectors.

She began her career in banking and risk, holding senior executive roles in investment, retail banking and development finance institutions, including a key leadership position in enterprise risk at a leading African development bank. She was also a regional executive at Fitch Ratings, where she gained deep insight into sovereign and institutional credit, global risk standards, and the nexus between ratings and capital access. These roles provided the foundation for her exceptional understanding of financial system integrity and global capital market dynamics.

Thapelo Tsheole is a distinguished financial markets expert with a career spanning over two decades across the central banking, regulatory authorities, stock exchange and depository management. Mr. Tsheole is currently the Chief Executive Officer of AFRINEX Limited (AFRINEX Exchange), Mauritius’ fastest growing stock exchange established as an initiative of Government of Mauritius supported by Government of India. Mr. Tsheole holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences with a major in Economics from the University of Botswana, a Master of Commerce in Financial Markets from Rhodes University, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Cape Town. Prior to joining AFRINEX Exchange in Mauritius, Mr. Tsheole served as the CEO of Rwanda’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) and before that as the CEO of Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) and Central Securities Depository Botswana (CSDB). Mr. Tsheole is widely recognized for his role in transforming African capital markets conceptualising new product development, driving market liquidity, technological innovation, cross-border integration, market development, corporate governance, finance and regulatory policies. In recognition of his outstanding service, Mr. Tsheole was honored with the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service by the President of Botswana in 2018. He also served as the President of the African Securities Exchanges Association and Chairman of the Committee of SADC Stock Exchanges.

Date
Wednesday, 25 February 2026

Time
15:00 - 16:00 GMT

Cost
Free

Book Now