ACBF

📢 SAVE THE DATE | 12th Africa Think Tank Summit

Africa’s leading platform for evidence-based policy dialogue returns to Cotonou, Benin, from 28–30 October 2026.

This year’s Summit will be held under the theme: From Energy Access to Economic Transformation : Practical Policy Pathways for Power Sector Viability, Growth, and Reform in Africa

Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Benin and convened by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in partnership with the African Union Commission and AUDA-NEPAD, the Summit will bring together African think tanks, policymakers, regulators, utilities, development partners, investors, private sector leaders, and energy experts to explore practical solutions for strengthening Africa’s power sector and accelerating economic transformation.

Discussions will focus on energy financing, utility reform, regional power integration, and implementation pathways that translate policy commitments into tangible results.
Participants can look forward to high-level keynote addresses, ministerial dialogues, technical discussions, the Africa Think Tank Platform research showcase, specialized training sessions, and an innovation exhibition highlighting emerging energy solutions from across the continent.

Join us in shaping the policies, partnerships, and investments needed to power Africa’s future.

🔗 Register now: lnkd.in/dBgtkcGW

#AfricaThinkTankSummit #ATTS2026 #EnergyAccess #PowerSectorReform #EconomicTransformation #ACBF #AfricanUnion #Cotonou2026

Market access alone will not transform Africa’s trade performance. The bigger challenge is turning access into stronger exports, greater value addition, and industrial growth.

At #ATTS2026, ACBF Executive Secretary Mamadou Biteye launched the Africa Export Competitiveness Report 2025, developed jointly by ACBF, Shared Value Africa and the Institute for Competitiveness.

Now in its third edition, the report covers 44 African economies, up from 40 in the previous edition and 30 in the inaugural study.

Its findings point to some of the structural constraints shaping Africa’s export competitiveness:

✅ Policy explains roughly 30% of the variation in export performance, while productive capacity, infrastructure, skills, investment and institutions account for much of the rest.

✅ Africa accounted for just 2.63% of global merchandise exports in 2025.

✅ Primary goods represented 76.7% of Africa’s merchandise exports, underscoring the continued challenge of moving up global value chains.

✅ Africa supplies about 75% of the world’s manganese and 70% of its cobalt, yet captures less than 1% of clean-energy technology manufacturing value.

✅ Around 60% of Africa’s trade costs are linked to behind-the-border constraints, including weak logistics, regulatory divergence, fragmented standards and inadequate infrastructure.

During the launch, Biteye also highlighted the importance of stronger South-South collaboration and greater African participation in the research and analysis shaping the continent’s economic choices.

The report reinforces a clear message: expanding market access must go hand in hand with building the productive capacity, institutions and infrastructure needed to convert that access into trade, value addition and jobs.

Read the Africa Export Competitiveness Report 2025 and explore what it will take to move from market access to market utilization.

🔗 knowledgehub.africa/knowledge-asse…

#ATTS2026 #AfricaExportCompetitiveness #AfricanTrade #ExportCompetitiveness #AfCFTA #EconomicTransformation #Industrialization #ValueAddition #TradeDevelopment #RegionalIntegration #MadeInAfrica

The ACBF Board of Governors convened on October 28 in Cotonou, Benin, bringing together Governors from member countries and senior officials from Ministries of Finance, Economy, Development and Planning.

Chaired by Mr. Aristide MEDENOU, Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin, in charge of Cooperation, the meeting reviewed ACBF’s strategic direction, institutional performance and expanding portfolio.

Discussions highlighted the Foundation’s work across climate change and energy for productive use, trade, leadership development, digital taxation and policy implementation, while reaffirming the importance of strong institutions and capacity development in advancing Africa’s transformation.

Partners including the African Development Bank, UNDP and GIZ also participated.

The meeting also marked the launch of ACBF’s 2025 Annual Report, “Shaping Africa’s Future through Capacity Building and Innovation,” showcasing the Foundation’s results across the continent.

“A strong ACBF delivering value to its member states is now evident,” said Mr. Mohamed Beavogui, Chair of the Executive Board of ACBF.

Governors also reviewed ACBF’s financial and institutional position, renewed member-state engagement, growing demand for its services and the need for sustained support as the Foundation expands its work across the continent.

#ACBF #ATTS2026 #BoardOfGovernors #CapacityDevelopment #AfricaTransformation #InstitutionalStrengthening #AfricanLeadership #SustainableDevelopment #StrategicPartnerships #AfricaDevelopment #ACBFAnnualReport2025

Cotonou set the stage. Africa’s policy community brought the conversation.

Watch the highlights from the official opening of the 12th Africa Think Tank Summit #ATTS2026, where policymakers, think tanks, development partners and experts from across Africa and beyond came together around a shared ambition: turning energy access into economic transformation.

Hosted by the Republic of Benin and organized by ACBF in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Summit was officially opened by Mr. Aristide Médenou, Benin’s Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Cooperation, alongside ACBF Executive Secretary Mamadou Biteye, Mayor of Cotonou Luc Gnacadja and representatives of partner institutions.

The opening also brought together key regional and development partners, including the African Development Bank, FAGACE and the Africa-Europe Foundation, reflecting the breadth of institutions contributing to Africa’s energy and development agenda.

Beyond the opening ceremony, the exchanges reflected what the Summit is about: bringing African policy expertise, evidence and leadership together to tackle the practical reforms needed for stronger, more sustainable power systems.

From the plenary to the conversations in between, Cotonou became a meeting point for ideas, partnerships and African-led solutions.

#ATTS2026 #AfricaThinkTankSummit #ThinkTanks #EnergyTransformation #ACBF

The 12th Africa Think Tank Summit #ATTS2026 officially opened today in Cotonou, Benin.

Convened by The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the Government of the Republic of Benin, in partnership with the African Union Commission, the Summit runs from 28–30 October and brings together policymakers, think tanks, development partners, consumers, and experts from across Africa and beyond.

This year’s Summit is being held under the theme: “From Energy Access to Economic Transformation: Practical Policy Pathways for Power Sector Viability, Growth and Reform in Africa.”

The discussions are focused on a critical question:

How can expanded energy access translate into stronger economies, more productive industries and greater opportunities across Africa?

This morning’s opening ceremony brought together leaders from the Government of Benin, the African Union Commission, AfDB, ACBF, ACED, FAGACE, and development partners, including Aristide Médenou, Benin’s Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Cooperation, and Luc Gnacadja, Mayor of Cotonou.

Minister Médenou highlighted the need to assess energy policy through its contribution to economic growth, productive activity and improvements in people’s living conditions.

In his remarks, ACBF Executive Secretary Mamadou Biteye stressed the need to connect energy access with productive use, stronger institutions and economic transformation, while ensuring countries have the capacity to turn reforms into results.

Mayor of Cotonou framed energy access in terms of what it delivers for cities and communities, from stronger economic activity and better services to improved living conditions.

As the Summit continues, discussions will focus on the policy choices, financing models and institutional reforms needed to turn energy access into economic transformation.

#ATTS2026 is underway.

If you are joining us in Cotonou, tag us and share your perspectives.

#AfricaThinkTankSummit #ACBF #EnergyTransformation #EconomicTransformation #Benin