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Africa’s economic ambitions will depend on whether private capital can be turned into infrastructure, production and decent jobs at scale.
Johannesburg meeting set for November
The 13th CEO Dialogue on Southern Africa is scheduled for Johannesburg on 12 and 13 November, bringing together about 200 chief executives, ministers, central-bank governors, investors and economists from across Southern Africa and beyond.
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The event, organised by The European House – Ambrosetti (TEHA) with the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, will focus on financing development during a period marked by energy pressures, trade disputes, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological change.
Organisers say a central question will be how African countries can mobilise more domestic capital for infrastructure and productive investment rather than relying principally on external finance.
Private-sector role under scrutiny
Discussions are expected to centre on the role of major African businesses in expanding infrastructure, strengthening cross-border trade, creating employment and converting commodity gains into wider economic development.
That focus matters because Africa’s growth story cannot rest only on resource extraction or conference commitments. For Black communities across the continent, the measure of success is whether investment reaches transport links, power systems, factories, small businesses and skills pipelines that widen access to work and ownership.
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TEHA Africa chief executive Pietro Mininni said the gathering comes as Africa assumes greater strategic importance in the global economy. The organisation argues that closer cooperation between African and European institutions and companies could help unlock the continent’s potential.
Gauteng seeks investment gains
Gauteng is using the Dialogue to reinforce Johannesburg’s position as a continental commercial and investment hub. A dedicated session is planned on urban renewal, infrastructure investment and public-private cooperation in the city.
The organisers have also announced plans for TEHA and the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency to renew their partnership for a further three years on 10 November.
Speakers listed for the November programme include South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, Gauteng economic development MEC Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, Old Mutual group chief executive Jurie Strydom, Alstom chief executive Martin Sion, Zimbabwe Reserve Bank governor John Mushayavanhu and former South African finance minister Nhlanhla Nene.
From declarations to delivery
The meeting follows the 2025 CEO Dialogue, held around the G20 Leaders’ Meeting in Johannesburg, where leaders from the Southern African Development Community and Italy signed a manifesto on areas including energy, mining, regional integration, small-business finance and digital transformation.
The challenge for this year’s Dialogue is delivery. Announcements around investment and partnership carry weight only when they produce transparent funding commitments, local procurement, skills development and measurable employment outcomes.
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For African businesses and policymakers, the debate is not simply whether the private sector should participate in development. It is whether private investment can be aligned with public goals so that growth is shared more broadly across the continent.