Overview
Sponsors and Partners
Agenda
Register
Date: 25-26 February 2026
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)
Co-hosted by
Overview
Organised by two of the world’s most influential market associations, this new summit is designed by the industry, for the industry. It aims to bring together over 1,000 senior stakeholders from across Africa and internationally—including issuers, investors, regulators, DFIs, and banks—for two days of strategic dialogue, networking and technical exchange. The programme will focus on:
- Capital market development and regional integration across both the loan and bond markets
- Sustainable finance and climate transition
- Regulatory innovation and financial inclusion
- Blended finance, FinTech, and digitalisation
- Market infrastructure and trading platforms
The landmark event has already secured the backing of South Africa’s four leading banks—Absa, Nedbank, RMB, and Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking—as platinum sponsors, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) joining as a strategic partner. In addition, a number of other local African, regional and international institutions, including DFIs, law firms, service providers and members of the insurance market have already confirmed their support and sponsorship. Together, this support underscores the Summit’s role in bringing Africa’s debt markets together, as well as creating a collaborative, inclusive, industry-led platform to advance Africa’s loan and bond markets.
Mark your calendar now and be part of a tailored event aimed at enhancing liquidity, efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in Africa’s loan and capital markets.
Interested in sponsoring this event? Contact us: sponsorship@icmagroup.org
Interested in speaking opportunities? Contact Amelia.Slocombe@lma.eu.com or Allan.Malvar@icmagroup.org
Companies already registered to attend
| Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC | Ghana Stock Exchange | SM & Co Advocates |
| ABSA | Global Green Growth Institute | Sovereign Risk Insurance Ltd. |
| Africa Finance Corporation | HSBC Bank plc | Standard Bank |
| Aluko & Oyebode | ICBC Standard Bank Plc | Standard Bank of South Africa Limited |
| Apollo 1969 Syndicate Management Limited | IHS Towers | Standard Chartered Bank (DIFC Branch) |
| Association for Savings & Investment SA (ASISA) | iLex | The Fidelis Partnership |
| AXA XL | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, London Branch | The Mauritius Commercial Bank |
| Babalakin & Co | Investec Asset Management | Trade and Development Bank |
| Bank of China (Europe) S.A. | KAP | Transnet SOC Ltd |
| Bloomfield LP | Keystone Law | Webber Wentzel |
| Bowmans | KfW DEG–Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH | Werksmans Attorneys |
| BPL Insurance | KfW IPEX BANK | White & Case LLP |
| British International Investment plc | L&G Asset Management Ltd | Willis Towers Watson |
| Central Bank of Ghana | Liberty Group Limited | Woolworths Holdings |
| China Construction Bank | Linklaters LLP | |
| China Construction Bank (London) Limited | Luxembourg Stock Exchange | |
| China Construction Bank Corporation Frankfurt Branch | Moody's Ratings | |
| Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited | Munich Reinsurance Company | |
| Citigroup Global Markets Limited | Nedbank Limited | |
| Clearbid Global Markets | Nederlandse Financierings-maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. | |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP | Nexent Bank N.V. | |
| Clifford Chance LLP | Ninety One SA Pty Ltd | |
| Commerzbank AG | Norton Rose Fulbright | |
| Covington & Burling LLP | Ocorian | |
| Credendo - Guarantees & Speciality Risks | Odujinrin & Adefulu | |
| ČSOB Advisory, a.s. | Pinsent Masons LLP | |
| Debt Issuers Association (DIA) | Puma Energy | |
| Deutsche Bank AG | Rand Merchant Bank | |
| Development Bank of Southern Africa | RMB | |
| ENS | S&P Global Limited | |
| FCMB Bank (UK) Limited | Sanlam Investments | |
| First Abu Dhabi Bank (PJSC) | Sanlam Specialized Credit, division of Sanlam Life Insurance Limited | |
| FirstRand Bank Limited | Seplat | |
| G Elias | Slaughter and May |
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Strategic Partner
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Gold Sponsors
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Silver Sponsors
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Supporting Sponsor
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Supporting Associations
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Wednesday, 25 February 2026 - Conference Day 1
| 08.00 | Registration open |
| 08.15 – 08.50 | Sponsored breakfast session | Building Africa’s Talent Pipeline - Fostering Skills and Leadership in African Finance A practical discussion on training, retaining, and elevating African financial talent—aligning skills with market needs and building inclusive leadership for a globally competitive finance ecosystem. |
| 09.00 – 09.15 | Welcome Address |
| 09.15 – 09.25 | Opening Keynote Address |
| 09.25 – 09.35 | Keynote Address |
| 09.35 – 10.15 | Panel: Advancing Africa’s Capital Markets — Driving Growth and Integration This strategic conversation will explore how Africa can transform its financial markets to support inclusive growth, regional integration, and long-term resilience. Leaders will discuss expanding market access, diversifying instruments, and strengthening institutional frameworks to attract sustainable capital flows. The dialogue will highlight the importance of building money markets and benchmark reforms, while also emphasizing the need to ‘Africanise’ capital market policy - ensuring frameworks reflect local contexts and priorities while remaining aligned with global standards. |
| 10.15 – 11.00 | Panel: From Regulation to Market Development — How Central Banks Support Debt Markets in Africa This high-level dialogue with African central bank governors will explore how central banks act not only as regulators and supervisors but also as market enablers shaping Africa’s financial markets. Against a backdrop of global volatility, tighter capital conditions, and evolving creditor landscapes, panellists will discuss how sound regulation, robust market infrastructure, and effective monetary operations can foster deeper, more resilient markets. The session will go beyond sovereign debt to consider central banks’ role in supporting local currency issuance, green and sustainable instruments, and regional harmonisation. It will also situate sovereign financing within Africa’s broader macroeconomic and debt sustainability context, highlighting how central banks can build trust, transparency, and investor confidence across markets.
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| 11.00 – 11.45 | Coffee Break |
| 11.45 – 11.55 | Keynote Address |
| 11.55 – 12.35 | Panel: Africa’s Loan Market Agenda — Unlocking Capital and Driving Development This session will examine the loan market agenda in Africa, focusing on mobilising bank finance, syndicated lending, and private credit to meet development needs. It will explore how DFIs, commercial lenders, and private credit providers can work together to close financing gaps, support infrastructure investment, and enhance access to capital for both sovereigns and corporates. The discussion will also consider how regional cooperation and cross-border loan syndications can increase liquidity, while highlighting the role of credit enhancement tools in reducing risk and attracting new participants. The session will stress the importance of aligning public and private sector financing strategies to ensure sustainability.
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| 12.35 – 13.15 | Panel: Africa’s Bond Market Agenda — Building Depth and Investor Confidence This session will focus on Africa’s evolving bond market agenda, from strengthening local currency debt markets to creating regional investment platforms and expanding access to long-term capital. Alongside sovereign issuance, the panel will explore how corporate bond markets can be developed to diversify financing sources, broaden the investor base, and provide sustainable funding for Africa’s private sector. It will examine how regulatory coherence, innovation, and improved transparency can enhance investor confidence and reduce perceived risks. Key discussion points will include lessons from recent sovereign debt defaults and restructurings, the role of credit ratings and rating agency practices, and the persistent challenge of the so-called “African risk premium.” The panel will also highlight opportunities for greater integration with Asia and MENA bond markets, fostering cross-border issuance and investment flows.
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| 13.15 – 14.15 | Lunch |
| 14.15 – 14.25 | Keynote Address |
| 14.25 – 15.10 | Panel: Funding Growth, Managing Risk — A Corporate and Investor Perspective Corporates across Africa face a growing need for efficient, diversified, and sustainable financing tools while investors often expect a risk premium. This session examines the funding requirements of corporates against expectations of investors, how domestic and international investors are engaging with corporate debt markets, and how issuers can best structure debt to manage risk while funding expansion.
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| 14.25 – 15.05 | Roundtable session (by invitation only) | Sovereign Finance Considerations This roundtable will explore some of the key issues and considerations when structuring and documenting sovereign finance transactions (covering both the loan and bond market) from the perspective of the borrower/issuer and the investors/lenders. |
| 15.10 – 15.55 | Panel: Converging Capital — Navigating Multi-Asset Investment in Africa This panel discusses how Africa’s markets are adapting to a multi-asset reality, and what it means for issuers, intermediaries, and investors. It highlights the emergence of hybrid strategies, the growing influence of private markets, and the integration of alternative players including hedge funds, insurance providers and sovereign wealth funds, into mainstream investment channels. It also raises important questions about market regulation, transparency, liquidity, and systemic resilience in a world of increasingly complex financial interlinkages. With this convergence comes both opportunity and risk: the opportunity to diversify sources of capital, fund innovation and infrastructure, and broaden Africa’s investor base — but also the risk of volatility, fragmentation, or regulatory lag if market structures do not evolve in tandem.
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| 15.15 - 15.55 | Roundtable session | Benchmark Reform Across Africa: Transitions to Risk-Free Reference Rates This roundtable will explore benchmark reforms across African financial markets, focusing on the transition from legacy interbank offered rates such as JIBAR to new risk-free reference rates including ZARONIA, CONIA, and KESONIA. The discussion will examine progress and challenges in implementing these reforms across jurisdictions, covering legal, operational, and market implications for loans, bonds, and derivatives. Participants will also consider how to promote consistent adoption and liquidity in these new benchmarks, drawing on lessons learned from global transitions to risk-free rates. The session will highlight opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing to ensure Africa’s benchmark reform journey supports deeper, more resilient, and integrated capital markets. |
| 15.55 – 16.40 | Coffee Break |
| 16.40 – 17.25 | Panel: Aligning Capital with Climate and Development Goals — Africa’s Sustainable Finance Pathway Sustainable finance instruments, including green, social, and sustainability-linked bonds/loans, are critical to aligning market activity with Africa’s climate, environmental, and inclusive growth objectives. This session discusses the enabling conditions needed for scale and credibility, while also taking a forward-looking view: what has and hasn’t worked in Africa so far, whether sustainable finance remains relevant, and how to weigh its benefits against its costs.
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| 16.40 – 17.25 | Sponsored roundtable session | Legal and operational reforms: the African repo markets This roundtable will explore legal and operational reforms needed to strengthen repo markets across African countries. It will consider the enforceability of close-out netting and collateral rights, the adoption of the Global Master Repurchase Agreement (GMRA) in different jurisdictions, and the operational hurdles facing settlement systems, collateral management, and market infrastructure. |
| 17.25 – 17.35 | Keynote Address |
| 17.35 - 17. 45 | Concluding Remarks |
| 17.45 – 18.45 | Networking Reception (Exhibition floor) |
Thursday 26 February 2026 - Conference Day 2
| 08.00 | Registration open |
| 09.00 – 09.10 | Welcome remarks |
| 09.10 – 09.20 | Keynote Address |
| 09.20 – 10.05 | Panel: Transforming Risk into Opportunity — Building Africa’s Securitisation Markets Securitisation holds significant untapped potential in Africa to convert illiquid assets into investable securities, mobilize capital for SMEs, housing, and infrastructure, and expand institutional investor portfolios. This session examines how to scale the market through legal reforms, investor education, and transaction support.
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| 09.20 – 10.05 | Roundtable session | Strengthening the Primary Dealer Framework: Pathways to More Resilient Bond Markets in Africa This workshop reviews the evolution of South Africa’s Primary Dealer (PD) framework, drawing on international role models and fresh survey insights from market participants. Discussion will focus on legal and institutional arrangements, appointment and termination, auctions, market-making, and incentives—providing practical guidance for strengthening PD structures to support more liquid and resilient bond markets across Africa. |
| 10.05 - 10.45 | Panel: Digital Pathways to African Market Connectivity and Growth This high-level panel will explore how financial market integration and digital innovation can jointly accelerate the development of Africa’s capital markets. Bringing together senior market practitioners, policymakers, DFIs, fintech specialists, and regulators, the discussion will focus on actionable steps that can be taken in the next 2–5 years to enhance cross-border connectivity and deepen market liquidity. Speakers will consider how aligning disclosure standards, settlement protocols, and regulatory approaches can foster trust and investor confidence across jurisdictions. At the same time, the panel will examine how digital finance — from cross-border payment systems and interoperable digital platforms to innovations like digital bonds, loan securitisation and AI-driven trading — can unlock new opportunities for issuers and investors alike.
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| 10.45 – 11.30 | Roundtable session (by invitation only) | Sustainable finance (bonds and loans) This practitioner-focused roundtable will explore how the ICMA and LMA Principles can be applied in African markets to structure credible, investable transactions. Participants will draw lessons from real deals, tackle challenges in disclosure and data, and discuss how to balance innovation with investor confidence. |
| 10.45 – 11.30 | Coffee Break |
| 11.30 – 11.40 | Keynote Address |
| 11.40 – 12.20 | Panel: The Africa Capital Markets Roadmap Forward looking strategy session. Summarise the conference’s main insights and outline a collective vision for Africa’s capital markets by 2030.
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| 11.40 – 12.20 | Roundtable session (by invitation only) | Credit Risk Insurance This interactive discussion will help delegates obtain a better understanding of the credit risk insurance product and the market more broadly. Themes will include:This interactive discussion will help delegates obtain a better understanding of the credit risk insurance product and the market more broadly. Themes will include:
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| 12.20 – 12 .30 | Closing remarks |
| 12.30 – 14.00 | Networking lunch |
Thursday 26 February 2026 - Technical Training Workshops
| These technical training workshops are designed as complementary learning streams and are open to all market participants, not only to conference delegates, at no cost. Non-conference delegates must register to participate. Participants who choose two sessions will receive a certificate of attendance. |
| 13.30 – 14.25 | Syndicated lending – the commercial aspects This session will provide an understanding of the fundamentals of the syndicated loan market in Africa, topics to include:
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| 13.30 – 14.25 | The repo market and use of the GMRA This session introduces the fundamentals of the repo market and its critical role in liquidity, market-making, and collateral management. It will explore the legal underpinnings of repo transactions, including title transfer and close-out netting, and highlight the Global Master Repurchase Agreement (GMRA) as the international standard that underpins legal certainty, risk reduction, and market best practice across jurisdictions. |
| 14.35 – 15.30 | Syndicated lending – an LMA documentation This session will provide a deep dive into LMA documentation, including mandate letter, terms sheets, NDAs and facility agreements, as well as the key negotiating points for each from both a lender and borrower perspective. |
| 14.35 – 15.30 | Introduction to Fund Finance – teach-in Description to follow. |
| 15.30 | Close of event |
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Dynamics and developments in the international sustainable bond markets – Implications for the MENA region
Capital Club, DIFC, Dubai, 8 December 2021
Registration Form - Day 2 only
