Francophone Africa Business Summit 2024

Investing in Francophone Africa: Playbook and Opportunities

Lagos, Nigeria - February 28th - 29th, 2024

Join influential leaders, investors, and executives from across Africa as we come together to spotlight growing opportunities for trade and collaboration between major Anglophone and Francophone markets.

This first-of-its-kind summit will facilitate high-level knowledge sharing, deals, and partnerships that tear down barriers and unlock the abundant synergies between two “worlds” ripe for mutual prosperity.

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French speaking countries

Keynote addresses from leading policymakers shaping economic integration

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Speakers

Expert panels unlocking insights on investment, trade, legal frameworks.

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Sessions

Networking sessions tailored for cross-border partnership deals

The Francophone Africa Business Summit will convenes leaders to:

Highlight Untapped Potential for Business, Trade and Investment

This summit will uncover the immense yet untapped opportunities for cross-border trade, investment, and economic collaboration between major Anglophone economies like Nigeria and Ghana and Francophone powerhouses such as Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal and more.

Facilitate Strategic Connections

The event program facilitates direct B2B exchanges, strategic networking, and partnerships between attendees. The summit has been structured as to catalyze tangible relationships and connections between leaders and businesses looking to expand across Africa.

Shape a Unified Vision for Pan-African Business Integration

By convening influential voices from across sub-Saharan Africa, we aim to shape a unifying vision for seamless business integration and cooperation between the Anglophone and Francophone markets in order to fully realize the continent's immense combined potential.

See what is said about us

Martin Ngoutchet

General Director, First African Company

My impressions are pretty good. For a first, this summit was a success. It was a success on several levels: networking, experience-sharing, and the enthusiasm of the various participants. We all gained a lot from this summit. I'm quite satisfied to have been there and I'll be back if another opportunity is offered. Thank you

Pat Oumar Ouedraogo

CEO, CTOP

I'd like to thank Epena Law for organising this event. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the organisation, the panellists and the themes raised. This exchange between French-speaking and English-speaking countries can only enrich both coasts. Once again, we'd like to thank the organisers, especially Johanna, and wish this initiative all the best.

Taslim Ngom

CEO, Sertem Group

I'm very happy to be here. It's a great opportunity to meet with counterparts from the English and French speaking countries to discuss opportunities to collaborate and invest. I look forward to further engaging with other participants and seeing actual projects coming out of this conference.

Sanusi Dantata

Founder, Dantata Properties

So far the event has been going well. Our panel was exciting, so was the audience and it was satisfying. I am very happy I got here as a panellist and hope this conference continues on an annual basis to foster discussions between the Francophone and Anglophone countries and so that we can have a closer integration of our economies.

Suleiman Motunrayo Doris

Public Relations & Communication Manager, Wemy Industries

I have learned a lot from the panellists, particularly on the development of our economies and it is going to be a life-changing one for Africa. I hope to see more of this next year and hope we make good use of what we have learnt here.

Jonathan Rodall

Director, Capital logistics SARL

Honoured to take part in the first edition of this event. We wish to see many more of this and create a bridge between the French and English speaking countries. Well done to the team.

Serge Thiemele

Chairman of the board, Phoenix Capital Management

Thanks to Johanna and the Epena Law team, the event was well organised, the topics spot on and well taught. I find it interesting being here and I hope it can be recurrent. Phoenix would love to be here again to deliver the message we had, help people investing across the borders of the two worlds.

Nnene Lesuiso

Partnership Manager, Wimbiz

The event has opened up to me that there are actually many ways we can partner and do business with people in other countries; partnership is borderless and has no barrier with language and people. I believe the conference is much needed and hope everyone will be able to partner and can pick up something from what they have learned today.

Emmanuel Asafor

Deputy National Director, Bank of Central African State (BEAC), Cameroun

I am proud of the organisers for bringing together the Francophone and Anglophone countries because these two regions have to do more together. I am leaving here fulfilled with a lot of contacts, relationships, knowledge and of course impacts.

Alian Fangman Ouattara

Controller General, Inter-African Conference of the Insurance Market (CIMA)

I say thank you to the organisers for bringing so many talents together from the Francophone and Anglophone regions. We urge the organisation to continue so we can have a follow-up to this event.

Princess Funlayo

Managing Director, FAE Ltd

Today was fantastic, it is a nice program and we will like to have more of it. It is one of its kind Francophones countries coming to Nigeria, it's fantastic. I will be present at the next summit and I wish to see more of this in Nigeria.

Hansatu Adegbite

Executive Director, Wimbiz

First of all, it is important for me to commend Johanna & Epena Law for a fantastic conference they pulled together for the maiden edition of FABS. I must confess that the past two days have been nothing but excellence, great networking, fantastic organisation, and great sessions. It’s a great delight to network with our Francophones sisters and brothers. It has made us see potential in partnership and investment in other African countries and I look forward to this synergy in the future. I recommend we have more of this and I look forward to editions of this happening in other African countries, with we Nigerians joining them.

Henry Menkiti

CEO, Sahara Upstream Group

Having this conference, listening to the organisers; Johanna and team have done extremely well. Being here making some excellent business contacts, government, tech, legal, it makes me understand that opportunities do exist closer to home. So, one thing I will be taking out of this place is keeping up with the contacts, challenging what I've learnt here and seeking growth in the future. I want to thank Johanna and team, Epena law have been excellent, I look forward to more of this.

Solange Amachia

Managing Director, CEPICI

I want to thank Johanna for bringing Anglophone and Francophone businesses to meet. Bringing us together makes a big difference because now we know the opportunities in the different countries and market entry platforms. We also want to replicate the good things we have in our countries, in other African countries and shape the whole continent. We will be very glad to welcome you in Ivory Coast and this is a type of forum we would definitely love to see more.

Babacar Seck

Managing Partner, Askya

As one of the organising committee, I am really happy that we could bring together Anglophone and Francophone countries in Nigeria. Today, we have witnessed exceptionally productive exchanges between participants from Nigeria and across, West and Central Africa. I come out of this event extremely inspired and ready to reinforce the regional collaborations across the regions. The only thing that we need to bring this to life is the will to do so.