The organisers of the third edition of the Invest in Africa Trade Expo and Business Summit 2026 aims to connect African entrepreneurs and unlock opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Africa Economic Leadership Council co-founder Heinrich Hafeni said the event hosted in Swakopmund, has grown significantly since its inception and reflects Namibia’s growing role in Africa’s economic transformation. “We are doing Namibia and the continent very proud,” Hafeni said.
He explained that the idea behind the expo was inspired by the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement in January 2021, which seeks to strengthen trade between African countries and create a single continental market. “We got inspired as the founders, secretariat and partners of the Africa Economic Leadership Council to promote intra-African trade and connect African entrepreneurs, while at the same time promoting domestic investment in Namibia,” he said.
Hafeni highlighted Namibia’s growing economic opportunities, including oil discoveries, tourism, agriculture, mining and green energy projects, saying these sectors continue to attract local and international interest.
The two-day summit attracted around 100 exhibitors from more than 40 countries, ranging from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to major corporations, while delegations from countries such as Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Algeria are also attending.
According to Hafeni, the event has evolved from its previous title, Discover Namibia Inter-Africa Trade Expo, to a broader continental focus under the Invest in Africa brand.
“This year we moved from Discover Namibia to Invest in Africa. It is not the first one, it is the third edition. It is evolving,” he said.
A major focus of the summit is educating Namibians about the AfCFTA and how local businesses can benefit from access to a continental market of more than 1.3 billion people.
“The theme this year is unpacking the Continental Free Trade Agreement and market access,” Hafeni said. “Ninety percent of Namibians do not know what the AfCFTA is. We made it our point to ensure that government and continental leaders explain how SMEs can organise themselves to benefit from this market.”
The summit features high-level discussions involving Namibia’s minister of international relations and trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, as well as representatives from the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Funding for entrepreneurs is also expected to take centre stage, with institutions and investors offering platforms for SMEs to pitch business ideas and seek financial support.
Hafeni said sponsors such as Bellatrix SME Financing will host pitching competitions focused on tourism ventures, while African tourism investors and financial institutions will engage directly with entrepreneurs seeking capital. “Many SMEs today are looking for funds to start their small businesses. This expo brings those people together,” he said.
The summit also cover sectors including blue economy opportunities, agriculture, natural resource beneficiation, finance, oil and gas, and green hydrogen development.
Representatives from Namibia’s upstream petroleum sector, the Hyphen green hydrogen project and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board are also expected to participate.
“This expo is really for entrepreneurs,” Hafeni said. “We are trying our best as organisers to promote all the key economic activities happening in Namibia and Africa.”
