African policymakers, development finance institutions and business leaders have called for stronger links between governance, investment and technology to turn the continent’s digital ambitions into jobs, trade and wider economic opportunities.
The call was made at the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium Global Conversations 2026 in New York, where leaders examined how Africa can build digital economies that attract investment while expanding access to technology and strengthening regional integration.
The meeting, held at the Harvard Club during the United Nations General Assembly week, was convened in partnership with the African Peer Review Mechanism under the theme “Building the Next Frontier of Africa’s Digital Economy.”
Patrick Herminie, president of Seychelles, said digital transformation must deliver practical benefits for citizens, particularly through wider access to technology, connectivity and economic opportunities.
Discussions also focused on the need for governance systems to keep pace with artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Marie Antoinette Rose Quatre, CEO of the APRM Continental Secretariat, called for stronger frameworks to ensure that technological innovation supports development, creates jobs and allows Africans to retain more value from digital industries.
The discussions brought together senior officials and executives including Selma Malika Haddadi, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission; Lerato Dorothy Mataboge, African Union commissioner for infrastructure and energy; Marie Laure Akin Olugbade, senior vice president of the African Development Bank; Oliver Alawuba, group managing director and CEO of UBA Group; Banji Fehintola, executive director and head of financial services at Africa Finance Corporation; and Joe Mensah, senior vice president and head of the Ghana business unit at Kosmos Energy.
A key focus was how to move from policy commitments to projects that can attract financing. Panel discussions examined ways to build investable digital ecosystems, improve market access, strengthen regional trade, create economic opportunities for young people and migrants, and mobilise funding for infrastructure.
Hannah Awuku, executive director of the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium, said Africa’s challenge was no longer a lack of ideas or ambition but the ability to connect leadership and capital with implementation.
“Africa does not lack leadership, ideas or ambition. What is required is stronger alignment between governance, capital and implementation to unlock the continent’s full potential,” she said.
The symposium also examined e governance, digital connectivity and regional integration, with participants discussing how stronger cooperation across African markets could create better conditions for investment and support the growth of digital businesses.
The discussions are expected to contribute to an upcoming APRM study on technological diffusion, adoption and innovation in Africa, being developed with the African Union Commission’s Department of Infrastructure and Energy.
The organisers also said the meeting would feed into the FALS Investment Playbook 2026, alongside policy recommendations on digital transformation and infrastructure and proposals for stronger cooperation between governments, investors and development partners.
