Investing in Africa 2026: Can AFSIC’s $10bn Pipeline Find Investors?

More than 200 investors meet African governments and companies in London this week. FDI and private-equity data show where the money is most likely to land — and what it takes to win it.

LONDON — Investing in Africa 2026, the 13th edition of the AFSIC investor conference, opens in London on Tuesday with a Deal Book of more than $10 billion in African projects and companies looking for capital. The question for the 200-plus investors attending is not whether Africa has opportunities, but which ones are ready to fund.

Organisers African Investments Limited bill AFSIC as believed to be the largest annual investor event for Africa held outside the continent. This year’s edition expects more than 1,200 delegates and 350 speakers at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel, according to the event listing, with country investment summits, investor meetings and live pitching across two days.

It lands at a mixed moment. Africa attracted about $70 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025, down from an exceptional $94 billion in 2024, UNCTAD reported. Private-capital deals rose, but the money raised by Africa-focused funds fell by a third.

What Is AFSIC Investing in Africa 2026?

AFSIC – Investing in Africa is an annual Africa investment conference held in London, now in its 13th year. It brings together institutional investors, development finance institutions, private-equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and family offices with African governments, banks and companies.

The format is built around deals rather than speeches. More than 20 country investment summits, grouped by East, West, Southern and North Africa, pitch national opportunities, according to the organisers. “Meet the Investor” sessions, a Fund Spotlight and 60-second “Quickfire” pitches put projects in front of capital, and an investor deal room hosts one-to-one meetings.

The Deal Book draws on the organisers’ African Investments Dashboard, an online database of investor-ready projects. Sponsors this year include British International Investment, France’s Proparco, RMB, UBA, Brand South Africa, the Rwanda Development Board and Casablanca Finance City.

Why Global Investors Are Focusing on Africa

The numbers point both ways. UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2026 put Africa’s 2025 FDI at about $70 billion — lower than 2024’s record, which was inflated by Egypt’s Ras El-Hekma megaproject, but still the third-highest level since 1990. Greenfield project values fell by almost a third, yet the number of announced projects rose, a sign of more, smaller investments. Gulf and Asian investors are a growing source, especially in energy, logistics, real estate and infrastructure.

African private equity shows a similar split. The continent recorded 530 private-capital deals worth $5.1 billion in 2025, up 8% in volume while global deal volume fell 7%, according to the African Private Capital Association (AVCA), Techeconomy reported. “Africa is decoupling from the global slowdown,” said AVCA chief executive Abi Mustapha-Maduakor. Exits rose 27% to 81, the second-highest on record.

The weak spot is new money. Africa-focused funds raised $2.7 billion in 2025, down 34%, and development finance institutions supplied 64% of commitments, AVCA found. Conferences like AFSIC exist largely to widen that investor base.

Which African Countries Are Attracting Investment?

Egypt remained Africa’s largest FDI destination in 2025 with about $15.5 billion, followed by Guinea ($7.76 billion, mostly mining) and Mozambique ($5.69 billion, mostly gas), according to UNCTAD data reported by BusinessDay. Nigeria’s inflows more than doubled to $4.01 billion, driven by oil and gas project finance and deals such as Huaxin Cement’s purchase of Lafarge Africa. Ethiopia drew about $4 billion and Uganda $3.4 billion.

For private capital, Southern Africa was the most active region in 2025, led by South Africa’s deep financial markets, while East Africa grew on energy deals and North Africa on technology, AVCA reported. At AFSIC, Brand South Africa, Rwanda and Morocco’s Casablanca Finance City are among the countries and hubs sponsoring their own presence.

Which Sectors Are Attracting Investment in Africa?

The AFSIC agenda runs sector sessions on mining, power, infrastructure, agriculture, banking, fintech, insurance, healthcare and education. The investment data show which of those are pulling in the most money.

Energy and infrastructure

Africa infrastructure investment is dominated by power and transport. UNCTAD highlights renewable energy and green hydrogen projects in Egypt, Morocco and South Africa, and Gulf investors are increasingly active in ports and logistics. In venture funding, off-grid energy companies took half of the startup rounds above $100 million in 2025, according to Africa: The Big Deal.

Technology and fintech

Fintech accounted for 82% of private-capital deals in financial services in 2025, AVCA found. African startup investment reached $3.2 billion, up 40%, with Senegal’s Wave, Egypt’s MNT-Halan and Nigeria’s Moniepoint among the companies raising nine-figure rounds. African venture capital is also shifting towards debt: venture-debt deals helped lift private debt volume 57%.

Agriculture and agribusiness

Agriculture has its own AFSIC session. The opportunities investors look for are in processing, storage, irrigation and export logistics — the parts of the value chain where margins and scale are easier to prove than in primary farming.

Mining and critical minerals

Critical minerals are the clearest driver of new FDI. UNCTAD names copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, graphite and rare earths, all tied to batteries and renewable energy. Guinea’s second-place FDI ranking came largely from mining. The debate for host countries is how much processing they can keep at home.

Manufacturing

UNCTAD points to selected manufacturing projects but warns that turning investment into broader industrial growth is the continent’s main challenge. “The question is whether that interest can translate into broader economic gains,” the agency said. Cement, consumer goods and vehicle assembly are among the areas attracting deals, often aimed at markets opened by the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Healthcare and education

Both sectors have dedicated AFSIC sessions alongside insurance and microfinance. Deals tend to be smaller and depend on recurring revenue — clinic networks, diagnostics, pharmacies, fee-paying schools and student finance — rather than large single projects.

How Can African Startups Attract Investors?

1.     Be in the pipeline. Investors at events like AFSIC screen projects before they arrive. AFSIC’s Deal Book listings come from its African Investments Dashboard, which the organisers say is free for eligible promoters with full investor documents.

2.    Have the documents ready. That means a short investment memo, audited or reviewed accounts, a financial model, a clean shareholder register and a clear use of funds.

3.    Match the investor to the stage. Venture funds and angels back early growth; African private equity firms buy into established, profitable businesses; development finance institutions lend to larger projects, often through local banks.

4.    Prepare a 60-second pitch. AFSIC’s Quickfire format gives each project one minute. Lead with revenue, market size and what the money will do.

5.    Follow up within days. Conference meetings are first meetings. Due diligence and term sheets come afterwards, often months later.

What Investors Will Watch at AFSIC 2026

•     How much of the $10bn Deal Book is investor-ready, and how much is still at concept stage.

•     Whether country summits bring concrete reforms — currency access, profit repatriation, faster approvals — not just project lists.

•     Sovereign credit ratings and local-currency bond markets, which have their own sessions and shape the cost of capital for every deal.

•     Fundraising: whether new Africa investment deals and funds can bring in investors beyond development finance institutions.

Can Africa Turn Investment Interest Into Real Deals?

The interest is real: FDI is well above its long-term average and private-capital deal volume grew while the rest of the world slowed. The constraint is conversion. Africa investment opportunities need bankable documents, stable rules and local partners before they become signed deals, and few conferences report what they close.

Africa Talks Business will report on which countries and sectors drew most investor attention once AFSIC ends. For businesses pitching this week, the test is the same as at every Africa investor conference: arrive investor-ready, and leave with a follow-up date.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is AFSIC 2026?

AFSIC – Investing in Africa 2026 runs on 13–14 October 2026.

Where is AFSIC 2026 held?

At the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel in London, United Kingdom.

What are Africa’s biggest investment opportunities?

Critical minerals and mining, renewable energy and power, transport and logistics infrastructure, fintech, agribusiness processing and manufacturing for regional markets attract the most capital, according to UNCTAD and AVCA data.

How can African businesses access global capital?

Prepare investor documents, list in curated deal pipelines such as AFSIC’s Deal Book, match the business to the right investor — venture capital, private equity or development finance — and work through local banks and advisers that global investors already use.