The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will headline the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum scheduled to hold in Abuja on July 29 and 30, 2026.
The two global economic leaders are expected to feature in a high-level fireside dialogue that will focus on how African economies can navigate growing global uncertainties, sustain reform efforts, deepen regional integration and unlock long-term growth opportunities.
Hosted by the Central Bank of Nigeria in partnership with the Emerging Markets Forum (EMF) and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), the forum will bring together senior policymakers, central bankers, ministers, economists, development partners and private-sector leaders from across Africa and beyond.
The event, which will take place at the CBN Headquarters in Abuja, is themed “Building Resilience Amidst Geoeconomic Uncertainties.”
Organisers said discussions will centre on practical policy responses to an increasingly fragmented and unpredictable global economic landscape.
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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, highlighting the role of coordinated fiscal, monetary and innovation policies in driving Africa’s economic transformation.
Other notable participants expected at the gathering include Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics at the World Bank Group; Harinder Kohli, Founding Director and Chief Executive of the Emerging Markets Forum; and Professor Adamu Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University.
Over the two-day event, participants will examine issues shaping the future of emerging economies, including macroeconomic stability, regional integration, cross-border payments, financial technology, infrastructure development, foreign direct investment, technology transfer and artificial intelligence.
Deliberations will also focus on food price volatility, inflation management and the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission in fragile and post-crisis economies.
According to the organisers, the forum is designed to encourage open dialogue on strategic economic challenges facing emerging markets while identifying practical and adaptable policy solutions.
They noted that the event reflects the commitment of the Central Bank of Nigeria and its partners to strengthening regional cooperation, promoting evidence-based policymaking and advancing innovative approaches that support sustainable and inclusive economic growth across Africa.
