African Leaders, Including Nigeria, to Chart Trade and Tech Future at FT Africa Summit 2025

On Friday, August 15, 2025, the Financial Times announced that the 12th edition of its flagship FT Africa Summit, themed “Africa in a Changing World,” will convene leaders from Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, Egypt, Mauritius, Kenya, and Senegal on October 21–22, 2025, at The Peninsula, London, to address trade, technology, and energy challenges amid global protectionism and economic uncertainty, as reported by Financial Times and Punch. The summit, a key platform for over a decade, will feature high-level discussions on Africa’s evolving role, with Nigeria’s delegation including senior ministers and business leaders, alongside figures like African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, South Africa’s Minister Ronald Lamola, and Angola’s Finance Minister Vera Daves de Sousa, per africa.live.ft.com.

FT Africa Editor David Pilling emphasized the summit’s role in examining Africa’s response to global shifts, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s 30% tariffs on sub-Saharan exports, which cost Lesotho $300 million in garment exports in 2025 (The Africa Report). The agenda will cover Nigeria’s economic reforms, fintech advancements (with 200+ startups raising $1.2 billion in 2024, per Disrupt Africa), and renewable energy transitions, spotlighting youth-led entrepreneurship, as 60% of Africa’s population is under 25 (UN, 2024). FT Foreign Editor Alec Russell noted South Africa’s G20 presidency as a backdrop, highlighting geopolitical challenges. X posts from @FTLive (August 15, 2025) and @AfricaBizNews promoted the event, while @Naija_Activist urged Nigeria to leverage the summit to counter tariff losses, estimated at $500 million annually (BusinessDay). The summit aims to shape policies and partnerships for Africa’s economic future, moderated by senior FT editors.