EXCLUSIVE: Bloomberg reflects on the inaugural Africa Business Summit

One of the keynote conversations at Bloomberg's inaugural Africa Business Summit featured Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola (Image supplied)

The Summit was an official sideline event of B20 South Africa 2025, bringing together leaders from government, business and technology.

In this exclusive to Bizcommunity Reto Gregori, deputy editor-in-chief, Bloomberg provides insights into the event and its importance.

Why was the event hosted in Johannesburg?

This Summit needed to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa's economic hub and a central gateway to the continent's financial and business activity.

Johannesburg is home to Africa's largest stock exchange and many of the region's top corporates, investors, and multilateral institutions.

Hosting the Summit here also marks a significant milestone; Johannesburg is the first African city to host Bloomberg's Africa Business Summit, emphasising the city's prominence in shaping conversations around investment, innovation and economic growth on the continent.

What themes and topics did the Summit tackle?

Several themes were unpacked over the course of the Summit as leaders addressed Africa's evolving business and investment landscape.

Discussions highlighted the structural challenges and opportunities shaping the continent's economic trajectory, from credit ratings and borrowing costs to technology-driven growth to investment flows across sectors.

A key focus was the ongoing challenge African nations face in global credit markets.

Senior bankers highlighted how countries on the continent continue to pay a "scandalous" premium to borrow, driven largely by credit ratings that they argued do not accurately reflect economic fundamentals.

They noted that this "perception premium" is costing African economies billions in additional debt-service costs each year - money that could otherwise support growth and development.

Speakers also pointed to an emerging consensus on the need for more data-driven assessments of African sovereign risk.

They argued that market realities increasingly contradict outdated narratives, citing recent successful bond issuances as evidence that investors are able to distinguish between sentiment and fundamentals.

Technology was a key area of focus, and a major driver of rapid change, particularly as AI and other disruptors continue to reshape the worlds of finance and business.

Executives discussed the role of AI and digital infrastructure in reshaping industries, while policymakers addressed shifts in global trade, the potential of critical minerals and Africa's positioning in renewable energy supply chains.

The opportunities and challenges of global trade and Africa’s energy potential were also central topics of discussion.

These conversations reflected a shared ambition to reposition Africa within the global economy, not as a peripheral player, but as a region of strategic importance, innovation and investable opportunity.

Are there any special reports that Bloomberg News has produced for the Summit?

Bloomberg launched its Africa Startups to Watch list this year, featuring 25 companies from across the continent, highlighting innovation in their respective sectors from finance to healthcare, agriculture and beyond.

Several of these featured companies joined us at the Summit, and we announced that nominations for the second edition of the list, publishing in 2026, are now open.

Ahead of the Summit, Bloomberg Businessweek published An Investor’s Guide to Africa.

The in-depth report takes an inside look at the six industries: agriculture, critical minerals, data centres, renewable energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing; all on the rise in the continent’s most investable economies.

Bloomberg Economics developed a special ‘risk-o-meter’ and country scorecard as part of the report.

Bloomberg’s Next Africa podcast, newsletter and monthly TV programme continue to provide news and analysis from the worlds of finance, business and beyond across the region.

The Bloomberg Terminal and Bloomberg.com/Africa remain destinations for Africa-focused news powered by our regional newsrooms.

Who were some of the key voices you brought together, and what did the speaker line-up say about the scale of the conversations you aimed to have?

We’ve aimed to reflect the full spectrum of Africa’s economic story, from policymakers and institutional investors to technologists and entrepreneurs.

The programme opened with keynote conversations featuring Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, who expressed strong confidence in the country's diplomatic leadership, noting that G20 nations could still reach a declaration even without US participation.

This was followed by a discussion with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who highlighted South Africa's progress on structural reforms and its efforts to narrow the fiscal deficit.

Another highlight of the Summit was a conversation with three banking leaders, including Sim Tshabalala, CEO of Standard Bank, Kenny Fihla, group CEO of Absa, and Roosevelt Ogbonna, managing director and CEO of Access Bank.

Together, they explored what a new banking blueprint for Africa could look like, from strengthening central bank independence to increasing currency flexibility.

Their perspectives emphasised how financial institutions are reshaping Africa’s economic landscape and influencing long-term investment direction.

These high-level engagements reflected the calibre of dialogue the Summit aimed to facilitate, bringing together leaders who are actively shaping Africa’s economic and geopolitical trajectory.

Voices such as Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI’s Africa lead, and Chantal Marx, head of investment research at FNB Wealth and Investments, highlighted the convergence of technology and capital on the continent.

They were joined by senior executives from across sectors as well as founders featured in Bloomberg’s Africa Startups to Watch list, leaders reshaping industries ranging from finance and healthcare to agriculture and manufacturing.

Bringing this mix into one room, alongside leaders from government and multilaterals, allowed for practical conversations about risk, opportunity, and execution at scale.

As a global news brand, how does your coverage of the region tie into the global news cycle?

Our audience is global, and they rely on Bloomberg for data-driven financial news and analysis and reporting.

Our coverage of Africa's evolving economic story includes trade, financial markets and business developments, all interconnected with the wider global ecosystem.

Two years ago, we hired 100 people across the global south, reflecting our recognition of the region's significance.