The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, and the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will headline the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum with a high-level fireside dialogue focused on strengthening Africa’s economic resilience.
The two-day forum, scheduled to hold at the CBN Headquarters in Abuja on July 29 and 30, 2026, is being hosted by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Emerging Markets Forum (EMF) and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA).
The event, themed “Building Resilience Amidst Geoeconomic Uncertainties,” will bring together senior policymakers, central bankers, government ministers, development partners, private sector leaders and economists from Africa and across the world to deliberate on policy responses to growing global economic uncertainties.
The highlight of the forum will be the dialogue between Cardoso and Okonjo-Iweala, where both leaders are expected to examine strategies for helping African economies withstand global economic shocks, sustain reform programmes, deepen regional integration and unlock long-term growth amid an increasingly fragmented global economy.
The forum will also feature keynote addresses from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kingsley Udeh.
Their presentations are expected to emphasise the importance of aligning fiscal, monetary and innovation policies to drive Africa’s economic transformation and resilience.
Other prominent participants include the World Bank Group’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics, Indermit Gill; Founding Director and Chief Executive of the Emerging Markets Forum, Harinder Kohli; and the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Adamu Ahmed, alongside policymakers, academics, development partners and business leaders from across the continent.
Over the course of the two-day event, participants will discuss issues shaping the future of emerging markets, including macroeconomic stability, regional economic integration, cross-border payments, financial technology, infrastructure financing, foreign direct investment, technology transfer and artificial intelligence.
The discussions will also address food price volatility, inflation and the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission in fragile and post-crisis economies.
According to the organisers, the forum is designed to promote open dialogue on strategic issues affecting emerging markets while identifying practical policy solutions tailored to the unique circumstances of African economies.
They added that the event reflects the commitment of the Central Bank of Nigeria and its partners to strengthening regional cooperation, advancing evidence-based policymaking and promoting innovative solutions that will enhance Africa’s resilience and support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
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