Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Olayemi Cardoso and World Trade Organization Director General Ngozi Okonjo Iweala will lead discussions at the seventh Africa Emerging Markets Forum, hosted by the central bank in partnership with the Emerging Markets Forum and the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa in Abuja on July 29 and 30, 2026.

Themed around building resilience amid geoeconomic uncertainty, the event will focus on practical policy choices that can help African economies strengthen resilience, sustain reforms and deepen regional trade integration despite growing global economic fragmentation. A fireside session between Cardoso and Okonjo Iweala will offer a platform for discussing how African countries can preserve macroeconomic stability while pursuing reforms that attract investment and boost competitiveness, alongside keynote addresses from Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Kingsley Udeh.

The forum will bring together senior policymakers, central bankers, development partners and economists from Africa and around the world to examine issues including macroeconomic stability, regional integration, cross border payments, financial technology and food price volatility in fragile economies. Other participants include World Bank Chief Economist Indermit Gill, Emerging Markets Forum founding director Harinder Kohli, and Ahmadu Bello University Vice Chancellor Adamu Ahmed.