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African Agri Investment Indaba Moves to Addis Ababa for 2026 Edition to Accelerate Pan-African Trade and Investment

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20 July 2026 – The African Agri Investment Indaba (AAII), the continent's largest dedicated investment platform for food and agriculture, will be hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 16-18 November at the Addis International Convention Center for its 2026 edition, the African Agri Council announced today. The decision marks a significant shift from the previously announced Durban venue, with the Council citing the strategic importance of Ethiopia as the headquarters of the African Union and a critical hub for continental agricultural policy and trade negotiations.


The 2026 Agri Indaba will carry the theme: "Scaling for Impact: Transforming Private Sector Commitments into Zero Hunger Realities."


A New Chapter for Pan-African Agri-Capital


By establishing Addis Ababa as the new host city for the 2026 edition, AAII brings global institutional capital directly to the heart of African decision-making and rapid agricultural modernization. Ethiopia’s rapidly expanding agro-industrial parks and central proximity to East African and Middle Eastern trade corridors provide a dynamic backdrop for high-level deal-making.


"Relocating the Indaba to Addis Ababa represents a monumental step forward in our mission to catalyze private sector capital across the entire continent," said Ben Leyka, Chief Executive Officer at the African Agri Council. "While Durban served as an incredible launchpad for regional investment, moving to Ethiopia places our stakeholders at the direct intersection of policy, trade finance, and large-scale industrial expansion."


The move aligns with the Indaba's growing role as a platform that bridges policy, capital, and implementation; a space where the commitments made in continental policy frameworks can be translated into bankable investment pipelines.


Five Co-Located Events and One Scalability Agenda


The 2026 Edition will introduce a comprehensive, multi-forum architecture designed to connect the entire agribusiness value chain, from early-stage tech to industrial mega-projects:


  • Agribusiness CEO Forum: A closed-door "War Room" for C-suite executives to tackle currency volatility, supply chain resilience, and operational strategy.

  • Agri-Trade Finance Congress: Focused on closing the $80 billion agri-trade liquidity gap through structured commodity finance, warehouse receipts, and digital trade tools.

  • Agro-Industrial Park Forum (2nd edition): Connecting global park developers, SEZ authorities, and anchor tenants to operationalize regional processing hubs.

  • Seeds & Startups Showcase: Highlighting Africa’s top ag-tech innovators and early-stage ventures pitching directly to venture capital and impact funds.

  • Market Access Africa (4th edition): Linking commercial producers directly with international retail procurement heads and global off-takers.

  • Investment Discovery Sessions: Pre-vetted Investment Discovery Session (IDS) connecting project owners with institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

  • 3rd Agri Investment Indaba Awards: Celebrating excellence, innovation, and deal-making leadership across the continent's agrifood sector.


Registration & Participation


To learn more and discover further information, please visit www.agri-indaba.com. Be part of this high-level platform in Addis Ababa alongside more than 900 prominent leaders for a three-day program filled with strategic contract finalizations, high-impact commercial networking, and targeted business matchmaking.


Online registration: www.agri-indaba.com/register

Sponsorship and exhibition: eventhost@agricouncil.org 

Speaking enquiries: kholoud.saeed@agricouncil.org 


About the African Agri Investment Indaba (AAII)


The African Agri Investment Indaba is the global meeting place for agrifood investment in Africa. Organized by Equitics Media and the African Agri Council NPC, AAII brings together governments, commercial banks, financiers, private equity investors, project developers, and agro-processors to drive sustainable agricultural growth and food security across the continent.  


Media Contact:

Media Relations Team

African Agri Council NPC


 
 
 

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