🌍 Africa Elevate DRC Summit & Expo 2026
Pan-African Youth & Women Trade and Investment Summit
📍 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
📅 26–28 August 2026
🌐 Hybrid (Physical + Virtual)
Theme
Empowering Youth and Women through Trade and Investment Opportunities under AfCFTA
The Africa Elevate DRC Summit & Expo 2026, convened by the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation(AfYEF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a flagship Pan-African platform connecting youth and women entrepreneurs to practical opportunities in trade, investment, innovation and enterprise under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Hosted in Kinshasa, the Summit & Expo will bring together entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, investors, policymakers, innovation hubs, development partners and delegates from across Africa and the diaspora.
🔥 Summit Highlights
✅ High-Level Trade & Investment Forum
✅ Entrepreneurship, Startup & AfCFTA Trade Masterclasses
✅ Youth & Women Enterprise Marketplace
✅ Elevate Africa Innovation Challenge & Hackathon
(Hosted by Motley Institute of Business & Technology — Academic & Innovation Partner)
✅ Startup Pitch Showcase
✅ B2B / B2G Matchmaking
✅ Creative Economy Showcase featuring renowned DRC artists
🎯 Objectives
Empower youth and women entrepreneurs under AfCFTA
Connect enterprises to African markets
Promote innovation and scalable startups
Facilitate investment partnerships
Position DRC as a gateway for enterprise and investment
👥 Who Should Attend?
Young entrepreneurs and startups
Women entrepreneurs
SMEs and traders
Investors and private sector leaders
Innovation hubs and incubators
Government and development institutions
AfYEF chapter delegates across Africa and the diaspora
🌍 Expected Participation
1,000 Physical Participants
2,000+ Virtual Participants
Delegates expected from chapters across Africa including:
Ghana,
Kenya,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe,
Uganda,
Cameroon,
Burkina Faso,
Ivory Coast,
Republic of the Congo,
and diaspora chapters.
🤝 Strategic Institutional Engagement Sought With
African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat
African Development Bank Group
African Export-Import Bank
Trade. Investment. Innovation. Empowerment.
#AfricaElevateDRC2026