Lagos hosted the 21st Annual AVCA Conference & VC Summit, a high-powered gathering that brought together private capital leaders, global investors, and Africa’s top venture capital minds to engage on bold strategies for driving economic transformation across the continent.
Held from April 28 to May 2, the conference served as a strategic platform to explore innovative investment opportunities, address challenges facing private markets, and rethink approaches to scaling startups and growth-stage businesses in Africa’s evolving economic landscape.
Spotlight on fintech, venture growth, and capital resilience
With a focus on unlocking private capital to support African innovation, the event featured keynote speeches, fireside chats, and high-level panels that explored trends across venture capital, fintech, infrastructure, and ESG-driven investments.
Top investors like Nigel Morris, Managing Partner at QED Investors, joined influential founders including Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO of Moniepoint, to reflect on the realities of scaling financial services and building infrastructure for financial inclusion. Their sessions explored how fintechs can sustain growth in emerging markets through localized innovation, strong compliance, and customer-centric models.
Mareme Dieng, Managing Partner at 500 Global, led conversations on the role of venture debt in strengthening capital access for startups. She noted the growing relevance of alternative financing structures as founders navigate turbulent fundraising cycles.
Navigating a shifting deals landscape
The conference also unpacked regional dynamics shaping the African deals market, with specific focus on North Africa’s recent growth. In a session led by Ventures Platform’s Dotun Olowoporoku, participants discussed the increasing investor interest in the region and what it signals for broader continental trends.
Across the summit, investors and ecosystem enablers discussed how to reinvigorate deal flow, strengthen exit pathways, and support portfolio resilience amid global macroeconomic shifts.
A renewed outlook for African investment
The AVCA 2024 gathering underscored renewed confidence in Africa’s long-term investment narrative, as stakeholders aligned around building a robust and sustainable capital ecosystem.
With deeper collaboration between fund managers, DFIs, corporates, and founders, the conference set the tone for a more connected and opportunity-rich investment landscape on the continent.