A pan-African Trade & Leadership Forum.
Connect. Innovate. Lead.
About The Summit
Across Africa, many enterprises have the ambition to grow, trade and scale — but too often face the same barriers: limited access to finance, weak market linkages, logistics friction, certification hurdles, payment bottlenecks and uneven access to strategic networks.
The Vase Summit 2026 responds to this moment. It is designed as a practical, pan-African forum where conversations move beyond inspiration into market access, bankability, partnerships and enterprise advancement — framed by the call to Connect. Innovate. Lead.
300+
Participants
Cross-sector leaders and entrepreneurs
2
Days
Intensive sessions and curated networking
5
Pillars
Trade, finance, logistics, value chains, women
Pan
African Reach
Africa and its diaspora
Five Thematic Pillars
Five interlinked pillars that reflect the summit's focus on practical, inclusive growth across Africa and its diaspora.
Pillar 01
High-level dialogue on what it will take to make African countries stronger platforms for regional trade, investment and inclusive growth.
Pillar 02
Practical discussion on how SMEs and mid-market champions can unlock finance, improve bankability and access tools to move from survival to scale.
Pillar 03
A focus on the systems that make trade possible — from customs and corridor performance to digital payments, e-commerce and transaction security.
Pillar 04
Conversations on manufacturing, beneficiation, off-take, standards, branding, market access and the practical steps required to compete regionally.
Pillar 05
A solutions-oriented pillar exploring how to reduce friction for women-led firms, strengthen leadership pathways and build more inclusive value chains, institutions and trade ecosystems.
Two-Day Programme
A carefully curated agenda moving from high-level leadership dialogue into practical sessions on capital, value chains, digital trade, logistics, export readiness and women in trade.
Day One
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Opening Ceremony
Welcome remarks, keynote address & ministerial address
Session 1: High-Level Leaders' Roundtable
Connect, Innovate, Lead: What will it take to make African countries platforms for regional trade and inclusive growth?
Session 2: Capital for Growth
From Survival to Scale: Unlocking Finance for SMEs and Mid-Market Champions
Session 3: Building Regional Value Chains
From Raw Exports to Regional Value Chains: Manufacturing, Beneficiation and Off-Take
Session 4: Digital Trade & Cross-Border Payments
Digital Rails for Regional Growth: E-Commerce, Payments, Data and Security
Day Two
Thursday, 22 October 2026
Session 5: Trade Corridors & Logistics
Cutting Trade Friction: Corridors, Customs, Infrastructure and the Cost of Doing Business
Session 6: Export Readiness & Market Access
Export Smarter: Standards, Certification, Branding and Distribution into Africa and Beyond
Session 7: Women in Trade & Leadership
Making Trade Inroads Across AfCFTA & Beyond: The Implementation Playbook for Leaders
Session 8: Closing Debate
Trade & Leadership — Is Policy Reform or Private Capital the Real Catalyst?
Closing Networking Cocktail
A signature evening to consolidate relationships and support follow-through
Get Involved
Whether your goal is market intelligence, thought leadership, sponsorship, supplier discovery or media collaboration — there is a participation route shaped for your objectives.
Access timely market intelligence, practical growth discussions, and direct exposure to financiers, buyers, policymakers and peer enterprises.
Register Interest →Position your organisation at the centre of a high-level conversation on trade, enterprise growth and inclusive leadership before a curated audience.
Sponsor Enquiry →Shape a practical, high-level conversation on trade, enterprise growth and inclusive leadership before a curated audience seeking real insights and partnerships.
Enquire to Speak →For trade institutions, business associations, development agencies and ecosystem players seeking visibility, thought leadership and relationship-building.
Become a Partner →Targeted visibility in front of a high-quality audience aligned to trade, enterprise, finance and ecosystem development. Generate leads and demonstrate solutions.
Exhibit Enquiry →Extend the summit conversation beyond the event room. Opportunities for interviews, speaker features, event coverage and content collaboration.
Media Enquiry →Register Interest
Submit your interest and the Summit Secretariat will follow up with the next steps on delegate passes, early registration, programme updates and practical event information.