Elevate Africa Annual Convening Opens in Accra Today; Olu of Warri Visits Kufuor Ahead of Summit, Leaders Seek Concrete Commitments on Trade, Governance, Youth

The 3rd Elevate Africa Annual Convening opens in Accra today, October 28, 2026, bringing together heads of state, former presidents, policymakers, business leaders, and youth representatives to discuss the continent’s development priorities under the theme “Africa: Defining Her Future.”

The two-day event is expected to feature a high-level Presidential Roundtable on Advancing African Leadership.
Confirmed participants include President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone; Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang of Ghana; former President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana; former President Joyce Banda of Malawi; former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria; and former President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim of Mauritius. Ministers and senior officials from Ghana, Nigeria, and Egypt, as well as representatives from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, are also slated to attend.

Visit to Kufuor
Ahead of the convening, the founder of Elevate Africa, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to former President John Agyekum Kufuor at his residence in Accra. The visit formed part of engagements ahead of this year’s convening.

During the visit, the Olu formally presented the theme for this year’s convening. This was followed by a thoughtful exchange between the two leaders on Africa’s prospects, the challenges confronting the continent, and the need for visionary leadership and sustained collaboration to advance Africa’s development.

Agenda
The agenda is structured around five tracks: trade governance and economic integration; governance and policy advocacy; youth; the creative economy; and the African diaspora.

Organisers say the convening is designed to move beyond dialogue by catalysing partnerships, informing policy, and producing concrete commitments that strengthen Africa’s position in a changing global order.

Solutions
Speaking ahead of the event, Elevate Africa co-founder Olori Atuwatse III stressed that Africa’s solutions must be driven by its own leaders. “It’s important that we have a room where we are convening leaders from across governments, and we’re very intentional about working with leadership because we understand that solutions can only be truly driven by those who are leading nations, leading companies, leading in different sectors,” she said.