Cardoso, Okonjo-Iweala to Chart Africa’s Economic Future in Abuja
By Patience Ikpeme
Top money experts, government ministers, and leaders from around the world will gather in Abuja this week for a big conference to discuss the future of Africa’s economy.
The two-day event, known as the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum, will hold on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters. The CBN is organizing the event alongside the Emerging Markets Forum (EMF) and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) to find practical answers to the economic troubles facing countries today.
The biggest highlight of the event is a special one-on-one discussion between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Under the main topic, “Building Resilience Amidst Geoeconomic Uncertainties,” both leaders will talk about how African countries can protect their economies, keep ongoing financial reforms active, trade better with neighboring countries, and grow their wealth despite tough conditions across the world.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, alongside the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, will also give important speeches. They will explain how government spending, central bank policies, and new technologies must work together to change Africa’s economy for the better.
Other major global leaders taking part in the discussion include Indermit Gill, the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group; Harinder Kohli, the leader of the Emerging Markets Forum; and Professor Adamu Ahmed, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University. They will join business owners, researchers, and other top leaders from different parts of Africa and the world.
During the two days, participants will talk about important everyday issues affecting people. These include how to keep prices stable, make it easier to send money across borders, use new financial technology, build better roads and power systems, attract foreign investments, use artificial intelligence, and solve the problem of rising food prices and inflation.
The organizers stated that the main goal of the meeting is “to foster open dialogue on issues of strategic importance to emerging markets and developing economies while identifying practical policy solutions that can be adapted to the unique circumstances of individual countries”.
They added that holding this conference shows the commitment of the CBN and its partners to “strengthening regional cooperation, advancing evidence-based policymaking and promoting innovative solutions that enhance Africa’s resilience and support sustainable, inclusive economic growth”.
