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Accra, Ghana –12 January 2026

The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) is proud to announce Projet Afrique. This landmark exhibition will form a central feature of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026. Scheduled for 4-6 February 2026 at the Accra International Conference Centre, the exhibition will celebrate African innovation, creativity and enterprise within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Aligned with the APD 2026 theme, “Empowering SMEs, Women and Youth in Africa’s Single Market: Innovate. Collaborate. Trade.”, Projet Afrique will provide a dynamic platform for showcasing Africa’s economic transformation. The exhibition will spotlight four strategic sectors: Creative Arts, Engineering and Technology, Agriculture, and the Automobile Industry, demonstrating the continent’s capacity to drive the world’s largest single market.

Women, youth and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent the backbone of Africa’s economy, yet their participation in cross-border trade remains constrained by structural and financial barriers. Projet Afrique aims to change this narrative by offering these groups an unprecedented opportunity to display their products, innovations and business models to investors, policymakers and consumers from across Africa and beyond.

Exhibition Highlights:

Creative Arts – A celebration of Africa’s cultural vitality, from traditional Ghanaian kente weaving to contemporary design, showcasing how culture can be a source of exportable value and identity.

Engineering and Technology – Featuring innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy and software design by young African tech entrepreneurs redefining the continent’s global standing.

Agriculture – Presenting modern and sustainable practices, including advanced machinery, agro-processing innovations and climate-smart techniques that promote food security and competitiveness.

Automobile Industry – Highlighting Africa’s emergence in vehicle design and manufacturing, with electric and hybrid models illustrating the continent’s growing technological capacity and commitment to green mobility.

Projet Afrique is more than an exhibition, it is a marketplace of ideas, enterprise and opportunity. By bringing together women-led enterprises, youth innovators and SMEs under one roof, the event will translate AfCFTA principles into visible, practical outcomes, accelerating industrialisation, stimulating intra-African trade and creating sustainable livelihoods.

Call for Exhibitors

The Africa Prosperity Network invites innovators, entrepreneurs, SMEs, women-led businesses and youth enterprises from across the continent to participate in this historic exhibition. This is a unique opportunity to connect with key stakeholders, access new markets and contribute to Africa’s economic integration.

Interested exhibitors are encouraged to register via the button below or contact us directly at +233 548005025.

“Africa’s future prosperity depends on the creativity, productivity and determination of its women, youth and SMEs,” said Sidig Eltoum, CEO, Africa Prosperity Network. “Projet Afrique will demonstrate how inclusive participation can drive the continent’s transformation and unlock opportunities for millions across our single market.”

For more information about Projet Afrique and the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2026, contact: +233 536098325.

For More Enquiries, contact

Africa Prosperity Network, Communication Directorate

Tel: +233 20 136 6105

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SIGNED:

Africa Prosperity Network – Communication Directorate

For more details, visit: www.africaprosperitynetwork.com

To all media houses

The Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) 2025 highlighted the critical role of social infrastructure, including education, health care and housing, in sustaining long-term economic prosperity. Addressing these foundational needs is essential for creating a skilled workforce, fostering innovation and ensuring inclusive development. Delegates called for increased public and private sector investment in human capital development to equip Africa’s youth with the skills necessary in their emerging digital and industrial economies.

The Dialogues emphasised the critical role of social investment, stating that social infrastructure, encompassing healthcare, education, housing and social welfare systems, is essential to achieving the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision. The discussion highlighted the need for strategic planning, adequate financing and inclusive policies to eliminate existing gaps and ensure equitable access to social services. Healthcare emerged as a critical priority, with discussions underscoring the urgent need for improved healthcare facilities, workforce capacity and access to essential medicines.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant vulnerabilities in Africa’s healthcare systems, reinforcing the need for resilient healthcare infrastructure that can withstand future public health emergencies. Development partners and governments were urged to increase investments in primary health care and leverage technology to enhance service delivery. Education was also identified as a cornerstone of social infrastructure, with the discussions focusing on the need for quality education systems that equip Africa’s youthful population with relevant skills for the future. Panellists highlighted the importance of investing in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to address skills gaps and promote economic inclusion. They also emphasised the role of digital learning solutions in expanding access to education.

Financing social infrastructure remains a significant challenge, with the Dialogues calling for innovative financing mechanisms to bridge funding gaps. Suggestions included leveraging public-private partnerships (PPPs), tapping into diaspora remittances and exploring opportunities for impact investment. Governments were encouraged to prioritise social infrastructure in national budgets and seek collaboration with international development partners. The role of good governance and policy frameworks in facilitating social infrastructure development was also discussed. The Dialogues emphasised the need for transparent and accountable governance structures that promote effective resource allocation and service delivery. Harmonised policies across regional blocs were identified as essential for fostering cross-border collaboration and ensuring sustainable development outcomes.

African countries must increase investment in pharmaceutical production to reduce dependency on imports and enhance health-care resilience. Expanding technology access can improve healthcare delivery, while leveraging digital finance solutions – such as mobile payments and health insurance platforms – can enhance affordability and accessibility. Strengthening public-private partnerships will be key to scaling innovation and ensuring sustainable health financing.

African countries must prioritise teaching science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) by integrating STEAM into their national curricula to equip young people with future-ready skills. Investments in digital infrastructure, teacher training, research hubs and industry partnerships will foster innovation, enhance problem-solving abilities and drive economic growth.

Expanding access to technology-enabled learning will ensure inclusivity and prepare the workforce for Africa’s digital and industrial transformation. African countries must prioritise investments in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to address skills gaps and promote economic inclusion. Strengthening digital infrastructure, leveraging e-learning platforms and integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education systems will enhance accessibility and improve learning outcomes.

African countries must prioritise health infrastructure by establishing a Health Insurance Fund (HIF). This continental pooled fund subsidises premiums for vulnerable populations to address systemic challenges and provide health coverage for the greater majority of Africans.

Exploring public-private healthcare partnerships to develop regional medical hubs that integrate digital solutions such as telemedicine will improve specialised healthcare services and help scale up digital healthcare to reach remote communities.

By Patrick Smith

A decade ago, at a high-level discussion hosted by the Mo lbrahim Foundation, some of Africa’s foremost economists debated steps to ensure the prosperity of the nascent African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). An unexpected voice emerged, one of Nigeria’s leading media magnates, a publisher: “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “Africa’s two biggest economies, Nigeria and South Africa, should lead — announcing a bilateral free trade pact and inviting fellow nations to join.”

He drew a parallel with Europe’s single market, catalysed by the 1950 post-war Coal and Steel alliance between longtime adversaries France and West Germany. The 1958 Treaty of Rome expanded that foundation — melding economies and discouraging conflict.

Today, the European Union boasts 27 members and 10 applicants, despite copious bureaucracy and rivalry. It remains globally impactful — a possible template for the African Union founded in 2002. That was propelled by the political drive of South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, and Senegal’s Abdoulaye Wade.

Yet, for AfCFTA, absent is the political drive voiced by that publisher — whose Nigeria was among the last countries to ratify the agreement. It took a bilateral initiative from South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa to persuade Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari to sign up in 2019.

Five years later, with treaties ratified, people still await discernible benefits and timelines for a single African market and currency. But no government readily abdicates economic sovereignty without major return. Many of these issues are political tasks including generating popular enthusiasm for the project. Garnering popular enthusiasm has confounded even the EU — arguably a subtext of Britain’s 2016 Brexit schism.

Official trading under the AfCFTA protocols began on 1 January, 2021. But it was a soft launch given the reality that most of the world was still in pandemic purdah. And China, Africa’s biggest trading partner, was following one of the strictest ‘zero-Covid’ regimes and had cut back massively on its imports.

Insularity and regionalisation supplanted globalisation as the economic doctrine of choice in the post-pandemic years. The IMF cautioned that traditional economies were gazing inward precisely as Africa ventured into free trade. And AfCFTA constitutes history’s most daring economic alliance — with a continent-wide population of 1.43 billion and $3.4 trillion GDP rivalling India and Britain.