As thousands of business leaders, investors and policymakers prepare to converge on Kigali this May, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) has endorsed the Africa CEO Forum as a strategic African-led platform for tackling energy poverty, mobilizing capital and shaping the continent’s economic future.
Scheduled for May 14–15, 2026, the forum is expected to draw about 2,800 participants, including CEOs, heads of state and senior ministers, reinforcing its standing as the largest annual gathering of Africa’s private sector. For the AEC, the significance of the Kigali meeting goes beyond scale. It reflects a deliberate shift toward solutions designed, financed and implemented on the continent itself.
At the heart of the AEC’s endorsement is the human impact of energy access. Across Africa, more than 600 million people still live without reliable electricity, while roughly 900 million lack access to clean cooking fuels. These gaps affect daily life in tangible ways, limiting healthcare delivery, constraining small businesses, and keeping schools and households dependent on costly and unsafe energy sources. By convening decision-makers who can unlock financing and policy reforms, the AEC argues that the forum can help turn high-level commitments into projects that improve living standards.
The Kigali forum brings together stakeholders from over 90 countries, alongside hundreds of government officials and journalists, creating an environment where policy dialogue meets deal-making. Organizers say this mix allows investors to engage directly with regulators and community-facing institutions, reducing the distance between boardroom strategies and on-the-ground realities. For African entrepreneurs and local energy developers, the forum offers rare access to capital providers and public authorities seeking viable public–private partnerships.
Energy is expected to dominate discussions, reflecting its central role in industrialization and job creation. While Africa holds vast oil, gas and renewable resources, the challenge has long been translating potential into affordable, reliable power. The AEC maintains that progress will require a balanced approach and continued investment in oil and gas to support near-term development, alongside power generation, infrastructure and emerging low-carbon technologies. Regulatory stability, regional cooperation and African financial leadership are seen as critical to de-risking projects and attracting long-term capital.
“Africa’s energy future should be defined by Africa”, said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. He described the Africa CEO Forum as a space where governments, investors and industry leaders can “engage directly, mobilize capital at scale and build partnerships that deliver reliable, affordable power to African citizens.”
Kigali’s selection as host city also carries diplomatic and symbolic weight. Rwanda has positioned itself as a hub for continental dialogue, leveraging relative political stability, investor-friendly reforms and regional connectivity. Analysts note that hosting high-profile forums in African cities helps rebalance global economic conversations that have traditionally taken place outside the continent.
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