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Forbes Africa Magazine - December 2025 - January 2026

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In this issue

As global capital tightens, African multilateral development finance institutions (DFIs) are turning inward, mobilizing domestic savings, rethinking industrial policy, and building a new ecosystem of patient, locally-anchored capital. In the latest issue of FORBES AFRICA, we unpack the conversations happening across Africa’s financial capitals–with several DFI CEOs, Managing Directors and Presidents–on how to fund the continent’s next growth chapter without leaning too heavily on the world’s tightening purse strings. Dr George Elombi, Afreximbank’s recently-appointed President is ready to guide the Cairo-based multilateral lender through its next decade: a period he believes must define Africa’s industrial rebirth. He speaks on everything, from processing what Africa produces to the continent’s youth equation and the broader horizon ahead. Also in this issue, from pioneering mobile money adoption to streamlining public services, the tiny, hilly East African nation of Rwanda is taking technological transformation to newer heights. We also take a look the journey of an African fashion garment–from the rich textures found in rural homesteads to the catwalks of global fashion capitals, these garments carry stories of heritage, identity and innovation. We speak to three visionary designers that are redefining modern style—through textiles, silhouettes, and craft—by blending tradition with contemporary expression, and placing African fashion, firmly, on the world stage. Amongst the latest developments in the world of artificial intelligence (AI)–robotic companions and the formation of emotional bonds with AI. The rise in status of the SA20 cricket competition over the past few years is also in the spotlight, along with the G20, which recently took place, for the first time, on African soil, AGOA and the shifting power dynamics in global policy. All this and more in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of FORBES AFRICA. Get your copy today!

The Richness Of Our Communities And The Power Of Our Stories

As I write this, the G20 Summit is unfolding on African soil for the very first time, right in the heart of Sandton—Africa’s richest square mile. With global leaders descending on our doorstep, ready to engage on the pressing issues of the day—shifting power dynamics, fractured economies, volatile markets, the widening schisms between governments, and a climate crisis turning the sky into an open sewer—it’s impossible to dodge the stark reality check on humanity’s current trajectory. We seem to be trapped in a default polycrisis, but what lessons can we draw from the visionaries we lost this year?

1 mins

Agriculture As Infrastructure: Rethinking Africa's Industrial Pathway

Africa’s agricultural sector is typically seen in terms of food security and job creation, but we need to recognize agriculture as the vital infrastructure asset it truly is. When effectively developed, it can stimulate industrial growth, generate millions of jobs, and establish resilient trade corridors throughout the continent.

3 mins

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT ON SOUTH AFRICAN STORYTELLING

Social media thrives on the “fake it until you make it” mantra. It’s what also dominates the script of the new Netflix show Bad Influencer, which stars South African actor Jo-Anne Reyneke.

2 mins

NEW CHAPTER IN AFRICAN CLIMATE DIPLOMACY

ETHIOPIA HAS EDGED OUT NIGERIA TO HOST THE UNITED NATIONS' (UN) COP32 CLIMATE SUMMIT IN 2027, MARKING THE FIRST TIME IN 16 YEARS THE GLOBAL CONFERENCE RETURNS TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

2 mins

Closing The Youth Employment Gap

Only 25% of the 12 million young Africans entering the job market each year secure formal employment.

2 mins

Consensus For Growth.

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS LEADERS CONVENED IN AFRICA'S RICHEST SQUARE MILE IN NOVEMBER FOR THE HISTORIC B20 SUMMIT TO EXPLORE THE PROSPECTS OF INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN A CHANGING WORLD AND TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND- PARTICULARLY ON THE CONTINENT.

3 mins

THE AGOA DILEMMA

A QUARTER OF A CENTURY LATER, THE QUESTION ISN'T ONLY WHETHER AGOA BENEFITS AFRICA, IT'S WHETHER AFRICA STILL FITS INTO THE U.S. GRAND STRATEGY. EXPERTS WEIGH IN.

3 mins

Energy And Infrastructure As The Foundation Of Africa's Just Transition

In global forums, we have spent years debating the architecture of a just energy transition.

4 mins

FORTRESSES OF SOVEREIGNTY': AFRICA'S GROWTH ARCHITECTS

AS GLOBAL CAPITAL TIGHTENS, AFRICAN MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS ARE TURNING INWARD-MOBILIZING DOMESTIC SAVINGS, RETHINKING INDUSTRIAL POLICY, AND BUILDING A NEW ECOSYSTEM OF PATIENT, LOCALLYANCHORED CAPITAL. IN THE BOARDROOMS AND FINANCE MINISTRIES FROM CAPE TOWN TO CAIRO, THEY ARE THE GLUE HOLDING PUBLIC POLICY AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT TOGETHER, CHANELING GOOD RESOURCES TO CRITICAL SECTORS-AS THE ULTIMATE ECOSYSTEM-BUILDERS.

10+ mins

TRADE VISIONARY

AFREXIMBANK'S NEW CHIEF IS BETTING THAT AFRICA'S FUTURE LIES IN AN INDUSTRIAL RENAISSANCE THAT PROMISES JOBS, EXPORT DIVERSIFICATION, AND A MORE RESILIENT MARKET.

9 mins

From Spare Room To Empire: Building A Brand With Purpose, Grit, And A Global Vision

In a spare room in Cape Town, South Africa, Greg Tinkler set out to create something bold: a women's wellness brand that looks more like great tasting beauty 'medicine' and promises results alongside empowerment.

2 mins

Borrowing And Leverage: Lessons For The Next Generation

One of the most common questions I get asked by other parents when they find out what I do for a living is, “What are the most important lessons I should teach my children about borrowing?” While there is no simple answer to this question, there are a few basic tenets that will stand the next generation in good stead. The most important of these is understanding the difference between good debt and bad debt, as well as how leverage should- and should not-be used.

3 mins

TECH IN THE HILLS

FROM PIONEERING MOBILE MONEY ADOPTION TO STREAMLINING PUBLIC SERVICES, THE TINY, HILLY EAST AFRICAN NATION OF RWANDA IS TAKING TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION TO NEWER HEIGHTS.

4 mins

HOMING IN

REAL ESTATE IN RWANDA FINDS AN UNLIKELY CHAMPION IN A MALAYSIAN CONTENT CREATOR WHO HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF INTERNATIONAL BUYERS.

2 mins

SHE MEANS BUSINESS

FROM THE RISE OF FEMALE-LED BUSINESSES TO GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATIONS IN FILM AND THE ARTS, RWANDA IS CHARTING A NEW PATH FOR WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT BACKED BY PROGRESSIVE POLICIES.

3 mins

SPUD TO SPIRIT

ENTREPRENEUR KAREN SHERMAN IS TRANSFORMING POTATOES INTO PREMIUM VODKA ALREADY EARNING GLOBAL ACCLAIM.

3 mins

TURNING LEAVES INTO LEVERAGE

RWANDA IS FAMOUS FOR COFFEE, BUT TEA IS FAST EMERGING AS A QUIET POWERHOUSE, ONE THAT EARNS THE COUNTRY EVEN MORE FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND SUPPORTS THOUSANDS OF LOCAL SMALLHOLDER FARMERS.

2 mins

THE DIGIT-ALL DRIVE

GEBEYA, A PLATFORM TECH COMPANY WITH ORIGINS IN ETHIOPIA IS JOINING FORCES WITH PARTNERS TO BRIDGE THE SERVICE IDENTITY GAP-THE SPACE BETWEEN SKILL AND VISIBILITY-AS MILLIONS OF AFRICANS OFFER SERVICES BUT LACK ACCESS TO THE DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO PRESENT THEMSELVES PROFESSIONALLY.

5 mins

STEERING CAPITAL WITH PURPOSE

IN HER NEW ROLE AS CEO OF VILLAGE CAPITAL, ELLEN BROOKS IS REIMAGINING VALUE BEYOND PROFIT IN AFRICA, HER ADOPTED CONTINENT. WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN INNOVATIVE FINANCE, INVESTMENT, PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, FUNDRAISING, AND POLICY ACROSS VARIOUS MARKETS, UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, VILLAGE CAPITAL SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS AND EARLY-STAGE STARTUPS, BUILDING SOLUTIONS TO EMERGENT ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. SINCE 2009, VILLAGE CAPITAL HAS SUPPORTED FOUNDERS IN 28 AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND RAISED $7.7 BILLION IN INVESTMENT. HERE, SHE DWELLS ON THE COMPANY'S CORE ETHOS AND HOW THEY WILL GET TO $50 BILLION.

5 mins

Accelerating Africa's Digital Journey

Africa is filled with possibilities.

4 mins

BRAIN MAN

HERRIOT TABUTEAU COMBINED A YALE MEDICAL DEGREE WITH TWO DECADES IN FINANCE TO START BIOTECH FIRM AXSOME. NOW ITS SUCCESS WITH DRUGS FOR NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS HAS MADE THE HAITI-BORN IMMIGRANT A NEW BILLIONAIRE.

5 mins

An Immersive And Innovative Dining Experience

When it comes to food, everyone has that one place that instantly becomes a top choice not just for the taste, but for the experience. Tempo Luxury is redefining wholesome consumption-blending flavor, atmosphere, and creativity into something unforgettable.

2 mins

Rethinking Learning

Highly-accomplished experts from around the world shared their strategies for transformation at the 11th annual Future of Education Summit, addressing uniquely African challenges with solutions serving future generations.

4 mins

CREATIVE COUTURE : The journey of an African fashion garment

FROM THE RICH TEXTURES FOUND IN RURAL HOMESTEADS TO THE CATWALKS OF GLOBAL FASHION CAPITALS,

4 mins

Thandazani Nofingxana

THE HERITAGE WEAVER: CULTURAL CODES, TEXTILE LANGUAGE AND MODERN AFRICAN IDENTITY

1 mins

TRANSLATING INTENT INTO INVESTMENT

THE AFRICA DEBATE-UAE ON SEPTEMBER 30, HELD IN DUBAI AS THE SECOND EDITION OF THE INVESTMENT SUMMIT, BROUGHT TOGETHER LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN AFRICA AND THE UAE TO DISCUSS THE CONTINENT'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, CONTINUED INVESTMENTS AND GREEN SHOOTS OF OPPORTUNITY.

2 mins

WORD-WISE

AFRICA IS HOME TO OVER 2,000 INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES, MAKING IT THE MOST LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE CONTINENT IN THE WORLD. INITIATIVES LIKE GOOGLE'S AI GLOSSARY AND PanSALB'S WORK HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATING AFRICAN LANGUAGES INTO THE LEXICON OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

2 mins

Africa 2025 VITAL SIGNS

THE GROWTH CONTINENT

2 mins

HEALTH SOVEREIGNTY: DIRECTIONS TO SELF-RELIANCE

Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, points to the urgency behind building systems that can prevent, detect, and respond. For him the G20 platform “was a pivotal opportunity for the entire African continent to present a unified agenda rooted in its own vision for health sovereignty and security.” Kaseya emphasized how between 2022 and 2024, Africa saw a 41% surge in epidemic events. “These figures are not just numbers. They are a call to action,” he states and adds: “We leveraged the G20 platform to advocate for genuine global support. This is not charity. It is a partnership that empowers Africa to build a resilient, self-reliant health system capable of protecting its own populations and contributing to global health security.”

2 mins

ACCESS MEETS AFRICA

Access is where ambition meets everyday care. Across South Africa and the wider region, leaders are translating strategy into solutions that patients can actually reach and afford. That means aligning clinical quality with price, building local capacity, and designing models that fit how people live and seek care.

3 mins

THE MEDTECH MASTERPLAN: FROM IMPORT TO LOCAL INDUSTRY

South Africa's MedTech MasterPlan \"tackles our heavy reliance on imported technologies for hospitals and clinics.

1 mins

HER HEALTH: THE UNTAPPED DIVIDEND

Women's health is central to Africa's social and economic progress. Ramy Koussa, Lead, Organon META, puts the equity gap plainly: \"Women make up 50% of the population, yet their health needs have been overlooked for far too long. A healthy woman supports a healthy family, and a healthy family builds a strong society.\" However, \"Only 4% of healthcare investment is directed solely to women. That inequity is what we are determined to change.\" For Organon, access grows through ecosystems. \"Sustainable access starts with education, partnerships, and trust.\" Their current contraception program aims to prevent 120 million unintended pregnancies by 2030, each one represents \"a woman gaining control over her future.\"

2 mins

SHOTS OF STRATEGY: THE VACCINE PLAYBOOKS

Across Africa, a quiet industrial revolution is underway, as the continent is redefining its place in global health; moving from vaccine recipient to producer and from fragmented manufacturing to coordinated capability.

3 mins

GROWTH IN AFRICA: ACQUISITIONS, GREENFIELDS, AND CONSOLIDATION

Africa's health economy is expanding beyond vaccines and pharmaceuticals, driven by bold new business models that blend local entrepreneurship, industrial capability, and strategic partnerships.

2 mins

5 VIEWS ON AFRICA'S FUTURE HEALTH TRENDS

From Dependency to Resilience

1 mins

AM AI YOUR 2AM FRIEND?

THE QUESTION FOR AFRICA IS NOT WHETHER PEOPLE-AI RELATIONSHIPS ARE COMING. THEY'RE HERE. THE QUESTION IS WHAT THEY WILL DO TO THE BONDS THAT HAVE KEPT US ALIVE FOR GENERATIONS, ARGUES PAULA SLIER IN THIS STORY ON WHAT'S AT THE CORE OF HUMAN CONNECTIONS.

5 mins

SKIN IN THE GAME

WHAT IF YOUR SKIN COULD BE REBUILT, LAYER BY LAYER? PERSONALIZED, PRINTABLE AND CLINICALLY PROMISING, HERE COMES THE SKIN SUBSTITUTE THAT COULD REDEFINE WOUND CARE. AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE THAT'S A STEP FURTHER IN PAIN MANAGEMENT.

3 mins

THE ROBOTS WE ACTUALLY NEED

WHAT IF THE FUTURE OF ROBOTICS ISN'T HUMAN AT ALL, BUT SOFT, CUTE, FRIENDLY AND BUILT TO HAVE A CALMING EFFECT? HERE ARE SOME EXPERT AFRICAN INSIGHTS.

3 mins

ASPIRATION TO ACCELERATION

THE UPCOMING CAR MODELS DRIVING SOUTH AFRICA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.

3 mins

Where Business Excellence Meets Empowerment

In an era where beauty trends come and go at dazzling speed, excellence stands out for its substance. For Nailporium, it is not simply about the final polish or perfect shade of color, it's about integrity, experience, and the impact a brand can leave behind.

2 mins

THE NEXT WAVE

UNRAVELING SOON, NIFTY TECH AND LIFESTYLE GADGETS THAT ARE SHINIER AND MORE CONNECTED THAN EVER BEFORE.

3 mins

ESG Strategies: Why Businesses Can't Afford To Wait

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is more than a regulatory framework. It's a strategic tool for innovation, increased capital, and long-term success, and a critical response to growing environmental and societal needs.

4 mins

GLOBAL GLORY

THE CONTINENT'S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT IS PROJECTED TO GENERATE A RECORD PROFIT OF $112.84 MILLION.

2 mins

CHASING THE PRIZE

THE BIG BUCKS AND GROWING POPULARITY OF SA20 AND ITS MOST EXPENSIVE BUYS.

2 mins

RECLAIMING UBUNTU: CRAFTING A CODE OF INTEGRITY TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN AFRICA

Leadership in Africa has become synonymous with corruption. As Kenyan journalist John Githongo describes it: “It is a free for all, everything is being eaten, everyone is eating.” Beyond the African stereotypes this scourge perpetuates, corruption drags the continent into deeper underdevelopment instead of strengthening state capacity and encouraging community wellbeing, which are models required to curb poor workmanship. It further erodes the very foundations of democracy, economies, and our shared humanity. It diverts resources away from the poor, undermines trust in institutions, and breeds cynicism in our youth. It is, quite literally, the opposite of the African philosophy of Ubuntu–I am because we are. Where Ubuntu insists on shared responsibility and dignity, corruption proclaims: I am, so you are not.

3 mins

WHY AI GOVERNANCE MUST BE BUILT ON THE MATHEMATICS OF LEARNING

The ICEGOV conference is a global platform that unites leaders from government, academia, industry, and international organizations to explore the role of digital innovation in strengthening governance. ICEGOV promotes dialogue on technology, policy, and sustainable development. The 2025 event, held in Abuja from November 4-7, was co-chaired by me and Dr Bosun Tijani, Nigeria's Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, and organized by the United Nations University and Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency, under the Federal Ministry of Communications.

3 mins

FOR THE WANJIKUS OF THE WORLD, HOW VIBE CODING CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

It's 4PM in Nairobi, and Wanjiku, a plumber, has just arrived at her client's apartment in Kilimani. Kneeling down, she immediately spots the problem—a broken joint that needs replacing. But that’s not the real problem. The real problem is friction.

2 mins

Africa's Titans Of Industry And Business Win Big At Annual Award Gala

On November 12, the glittering 13th edition of the prestigious All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA), held in association with CNBC Africa, brought together leaders and organizations from across the continent to honor the achievements of Africa's visionaries.

3 mins

LEADERSHIP HAS TO WAKE UP: WHAT A UNITED AFRICA CAN CREATE

Mahatma Gandhi was once asked: “What do you think about the Western civilization?” His answer: “I think it's a good idea.”

3 mins

THE 'GLUE EMPLOYEE': SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE A NATURAL WAY OF MAKING THINGS STICK

Every workplace has one. They are the “glue” that somehow manages to keep everything ticking along.

2 mins

ART AND ENTERPRISE

IN AN ERA WHEN AFROBEATS IS TOPPING GLOBAL CHARTS AND FILLING STADIUMS, BABA KUBOYE, FELA KUTI'S GRAND-NEPHEW, IS ATTEMPTING SOMETHING MORE: TO USE THE GENRE AS A CULTURAL BRIDGE, BRINGING TOGETHER AFRICA'S PAST AND PRESENT.

2 mins

Read all Stories from Forbes Africa

Forbes Africa Magazine Description:

Publisher: ABN-Publishing

Category: Business

Language: English

Frequency: 7 Issues/Year

Forbes Africa is the drama critic to business in Africa. The magazine helps readers connect the dots, form patterns and see beyond the obvious, giving them a completely different perspective. In doing this, it delivers sharp, in-depth and engaging stories by looking at global and domestic issues from an African prism.