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The annual Oxford Africa Business Forum has been running for over 15 years. Browse themes and speakers below.
Africa's Growth Trajectory: Globalization vs. Domestic Collaboration
March 2025
This year’s forum explored the competing forces of globalization and domestic collaboration as key factors in Africa’s economic and social development. It aims to bring together industry experts, policymakers, academics, and business leaders to discuss Africa's growth strategies and explore how these two approaches can drive sustainable and inclusive development.
Business as a Force for Nation Building
March 2024
This year’s forum centred on the integral role businesses play in national development. By creating jobs, driving innovation, and fostering economic growth, they are pivotal to the growth of states and must therefore work in partnership with governments and all relevant stakeholders in achieving national goals.
Africa: A sustainable path to prosperity?
March 2023
This year’s forum focused on sustainable transition and climate change, and the role of big business. The sessions focused on identifying sectors which can play a leading role in addressing how to create a sustainable path to prosperity, how we fund this transition, and how African leaders can spearhead their own narrative.
The Youth of Africa: Accessing the Opportunities, Navigating the Challenge
March 2022
How government and business leaders on the continent manage Africa’s “youth bulge” will determine how economies are able to access the opportunity and navigate the challenge. While other world regions face an aging population with a high demand for skilled and qualified labour, the continent’s youthful population presents a powerful opportunity for accelerated economic growth and innovation.
Africa: Past, Present, Future
March 2021
To better understand & explore Africa’s challenges & opportunities, the forum drew on the experience of leaders & experts working in & across the continent to share learnings from the past, present successes, future ideas & initiatives for Africa. We focused on 2 core thematic areas Progressing Forward: Achieving the SDGs and Good Governance and Building the Future: Economic Transformation and Driving Opportunities.
Single Market, Global Outcomes
March 2019
This forum focused on the impact of the AfCFTA regarding integrated trade and movement of people across Africa. We discussed, how through development of infrastructure, the African continent can harness local talent to compete for global value chains.
(Re)Defining the African Consumer
March 2018
This Forum took a deep dive into the African consumer market to deconstruct, analyse, and deliver actionable insights in order to seize the opportunities that exist on the continent. Speakers discussed how businesses should not ignore the often overlooked low-income or bottom-of-the-pyramid consumers and the impact of the rise of the African middle-class and their increased disposable income.
Proverbial Africa
March 2017
Through keynote speakers, panels and master classes the forum explored the idea that in order to move into its next phase of development, the African continent must take control of its own destiny. To do so, established norms, customs, wisdom, and values must be understood and incorporated into business practices.
Unreasonable Africa
March 2016
The theme ‘Unreasonable Africa’ celebrated individuals who are finding solutions and opportunities beyond the expected, who are challenging the status quo, and whose bold visions and decisions have led to exceptional successes.