The African Capital Markets Investment Conference will take place in London from 15 to 17 April 2026, convening a wide range of financial actors engaged in shaping the future of Africa’s capital markets. Hosted at 99 Bishopsgate and supported by Old Mutual Zimbabwe as headline sponsor, the event will bring together African stock exchanges, regulators, listed companies, development finance institutions, and international investors alongside members of the African diaspora.Â
The conference is positioned within a broader effort to strengthen cross border market integration and mobilise long term capital into African economies. Institutions expected to participate include the African Securities and Exchanges Association, the African Exchanges Linkage Project, the London Stock Exchange and the United Kingdom Department for Business and Trade, reflecting a convergence of continental and global financial interests.
Among the market leaders expected to engage is Thapelo Tsheole, Chief Executive Officer of AFRINEX and headquartered in Mauritius. His participation reflects ongoing efforts by exchange operators to deepen liquidity and improve interoperability across African markets. Perspectives associated with AFRINEX have consistently underscored the importance of building integrated trading ecosystems that can facilitate more efficient capital flows between African economies while also enhancing access for international and diaspora investors.
A central theme of the conference is the evolving role of the African diaspora in the development of capital markets. While remittances remain a significant source of financial inflows, there is increasing emphasis on transitioning towards structured investment participation. According to the World Bank, remittances to Sub Saharan Africa have exceeded 50 billion United States dollars annually in recent years, in some cases surpassing foreign direct investment. Egypt, for example, has recorded more than 30 billion United States dollars in diaspora inflows in recent periods, compared with foreign direct investment levels that have typically ranged between 9 and 12 billion United States dollars.
Within this context, regulated capital markets are being positioned as a more transparent and accountable channel for diaspora engagement. Stock exchanges operate within established regulatory frameworks that require corporate disclosure, governance standards, and investor protection mechanisms. These structures enable investors to track performance, retain ownership, and participate in formalised financial systems that extend beyond informal remittance flows.
Investment opportunities across equities, bonds and collective investment schemes are expected to form a core part of the conference programme. These instruments provide avenues for income generation through dividends and capital appreciation, while also enabling reinvestment and longer term portfolio development. For diaspora communities, this represents a shift towards sustained economic participation that aligns personal financial interests with broader development outcomes.
Examples from across the continent continue to inform this approach. Ethiopia has previously issued diaspora bonds to finance the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, demonstrating the potential of structured instruments to mobilise external savings for infrastructure development. Nigeria has also accessed diaspora capital through international bond issuances, raising significant funding for infrastructure projects under competitive conditions. These cases illustrate both the opportunities and the institutional requirements necessary to sustain investor confidence.
African capital markets are also being reassessed within the context of global financial volatility. Several exchanges have shown resilience supported by domestic economic reforms and increasing investor participation. Their relatively low correlation with major global markets has contributed to growing interest from investors seeking diversification, although challenges related to liquidity and regulatory alignment remain part of ongoing policy discussions.
The conference programme is designed to facilitate practical engagement, including investment presentations, diaspora focused sessions and structured business to business meetings. Delegates from African exchanges are expected to present investment ready opportunities while engaging directly with diaspora investors on pathways for participation across sectors.
Diaspora focused organisations such as AFFORD UK and the African Business Chamber are expected to play a role in bridging networks between investors and opportunities, reinforcing the importance of institutional linkages in scaling participation.
Financial Markets Indaba, the organiser of the conference, has convened more than 80 investment forums globally over the past decade. Through the African Capital Markets Investment Conference, it continues its efforts to connect African markets with global capital while supporting the development of financial ecosystems that reflect the diversity and complexity of the continent and its diaspora.
