President William Ruto is set to travel to Kigali to participate in the Africa CEO Forum 2026.
The event is expected to bring together African leaders, investors and business executives to discuss the continent’s economic future.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 13, the organisers said this year’s discussions will centre on financing Africa’s development, industrialisation and strengthening intra-African trade.
President Ruto scheduled for Rwanda visit over Africa CEO Forum. Photo: Courtesy.
The forum is also expected to explore strategies aimed at boosting economic growth across the continent.
The organisation further noted that Ruto’s participation comes shortly after he co-hosted the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi alongside Emmanuel Macron.
The summit focused on Africa’s economic transformation and investment opportunities.
According to the forum organisers, the Kenyan President has been championing the need for African countries to utilise the continent’s existing financial resources to support development projects and reduce dependence on external financing.
The Forum highlighted Kenya’s infrastructure financing strategy under William Ruto’s administration, noting that he is advancing new approaches aimed at attracting private investment into key sectors.
It added that through Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund, capitalised at around 1 billion dollars, the government is testing a model designed to mobilise private capital into critical areas such as transport corridors, ports, energy systems and digital infrastructure.
The initiative is intended to strengthen regional connectivity and support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by improving trade efficiency across African economies.
The Forum further observed that the broader goal is to reduce fragmentation within African markets and enhance intra-African trade by investing in infrastructure that links economies more effectively.
They also linked the development agenda of Ruto to broader continental priorities such as green industrialisation, digital transformation and reforms in climate financing.
The Forum said the discussions in Kigali will focus on pan-African ownership and the mobilisation of domestic capital as key drivers of Africa’s economic growth.
It further noted that Ruto’s participation in a high-level presidential panel is expected to influence conversations on the continent’s economic direction over the next two days.
The Africa CEO Forum, established in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is considered the continent’s largest annual gathering of private sector leaders, policymakers and investors.
