Business Africa Forum 2026 kicks off in Lomé to support the implementation of the free trade agreement

Written by: Mohammed Omran 

The forum activities have begun Business Africa In 2026 in the Ugandan capital, Lome, with broad participation from policymakers, private sector leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, small and medium-sized enterprises and development partners, in support of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Launch of the Africa Business Forum 2026

The opening session witnessed the participation of His Excellency Badanam Patoke, Minister of Economy and Strategic Follow-up of the Republic of Togo, and Her Excellency Dr. Jumook Oduwel, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment of Nigeria and the incoming Chairperson of the AFECTA Council of Ministers, who emphasized the strategic importance of transforming the objectives of the agreement into tangible economic opportunities that serve the people of the African continent.

In her speech as the incoming Chair of the AFCT Council of Ministers, Dr. Jumook Odowuel stressed the need to move from the stage of ambition to the stage of actual implementation, emphasizing the importance of coordinating efforts among member states to address the obstacles that hinder the movement of trade within the continent, including the movement of people, goods and services.

It also called for strengthening regional cooperation and uniting efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which would contribute to supporting economic integration and achieving sustainable development in the African continent.

In a separate context, the President of the Republic of Chad, Field Marshal Mohamed Idriss Deby, held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, on the sidelines of the Africa Future Summit hosted by the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in a move that reflects the continued political and economic rapprochement between the two countries and strengthens the strategic partnership between N'Djamena and Paris.

According to a statement from the Chadian presidency, the talks addressed a number of issues of common interest, particularly those related to strengthening economic and investment cooperation and pushing bilateral relations towards broader horizons, based on the understandings reached during the official visit of the Chadian president to France months ago, which was described at the time as a friendly and working visit that laid the foundation for a new phase of coordination between the two sides.

Chad and France strengthen their strategic partnership with new agreements in Nairobi

The talks focused mainly on preparations for the upcoming Chadian-French Economic Forum in the French capital, Paris, which is expected to be an important platform for showcasing investment opportunities in Chad and attracting French companies operating in the fields of infrastructure, energy and public services.

Nairobi also witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between the Chadian government and French companies, with the aim of implementing development projects in vital sectors including roads, education and health, as part of the Chadian authorities’ efforts to improve infrastructure and enhance basic services for citizens.