Timeline
2016
January 2016
Creation of the AfroChampion Initiative in Accra, Ghana, by the strategy firm Konfidants, and a group of experts on economy, business regional integration, trade, and investment.
June 2016
The ADS Group, led by founder & CEO Samba Bathily joins the AfroChampions Initiative as first corporate donor.
2017
January 2017
The inaugural diner of the AfroChampions Initiative is organized on the side line of the Bamako Summit for Partnership, Peace and Emergence. Attendees celebrate an AfroChampion icon, Mr. Gervais Djondo, co-founder of Ecobank Group and founder of Asky Airlines, who receives the AfroChampion Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the economic integration of Africa.
January 2017
The AfroChampions Hub project is officially presented in Addis-Ababa during a special panel involving media and representatives from local business communities on the side lines of the African Union Annual Summit.The project received official support from His Excellency Professor Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea and acting President of the African Union for 2017, as well as from the Presidents of Liberia, Zambia, Gambia and Mali who send representatives to the event.
May 2017
Former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki accepts to be Chairperson of the AfroChampions Initiative
June 2017
Mr. Aliko Dangote, Founder and CEO of the Dangote Group, accepts to be Co-Chairperson of the Initiative with Mr Mbeki. He also becomes inaugural Chair of the AfroChampions Club
July 2017
President of the African Union Alpha Condé lays the foundation for a core group of political representatives to join the project. A committee of experts starts a roadmap of regulatory reforms to support the emergence of African Champions and the economic integration of Africa – the Africa Investment Roadmap.
October 2017
Mr Dangote hosted the inaugural meeting and official launch of the AfroChampions Club in Lagos. CEOS representing 13 African Countries attended the event, in presence of President Thabo Mbeki, President of the AfroChampions InitiatIve, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Patron of the AfroChampions Initiative, and Vice-president of Nigeria Yemi Obasinjo.
December 2017
Strategic firm Konfidants presents in partnership with the AfroChampions Initiative the 2017 African Globalisers Report – The first ever research on African multinationals with Global footprint.
2018
January 2018
This is a new strategic step for the AfroChampions Initiative, as it concludes a partnership with the African Union to help mobilizing the private sector around the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
January 2018
The Inaugural Meeting of the AfroChampions Club takes place in Addis-Ababa on the site of the 30th African Union’s heads of State summit. Five recognised personnalities are appointed as regional vice-chairs, including:Mr Jean-Louis Billon, Ivory Coast, Chairman of SICFA (Western Africa); Dr Paul Fokam, Cameroon, Chairman and CEO, Afriland First Group (Central Africa); Mr Ali Mufuruki, Tanzania, Chairman and CEO, Infotech Investments (Eastern Africa); Mr Naguib Sawiris, Egypt, Chairman of ORASCOM (North Africa); Mrs Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, South Africa CEO of the Dutch mining group, IchorCoal N.V. and chair of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (Southern Africa)
March 2018
14 March 2018 – The AfroChampions Initiative launches an online petition to request for the creation of a unique African passport for all Africans – AfricaPassportNow!
March 2018
20-21 March 2018 The AfroChampions Initiative is invited in Kigali to represent the private sector at the ceremony for the signature of the Agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area. 150 high level guests joins the AfroChampions Initiative’s breakfast panel “From Made in Africa to Made for Africa, how can the AfCFTA drive tailored solutions to develop Africa”; an MoU reinforcing the partnership with the Africa Union is officially signed with His Excellency Mr Albert Muchanga, AUC’s Commissioner for Trade and Industry; and the AfroChampions Initiative announces a USD 1 million budget commitment to organise a sensitization campaign about the AfCFTA in 2018.
May 2018
May 2018 – Launch of the AfCFTA awareness-raising campaign: the AfroChampions Initiative and representatives of the African Union begin a West African tour to meet local entrepreneurs, introduce them to the AfCFTA Agreement but also collect questions, concerns and suggestions from them. The tour, organized in partnership with the Association of Ghana Industries, Côte d’Ivoire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sy Investments, stops by place in Accra, Ghana, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Dakar in Senegal.
May 2018
On June 1st, 2018, following an exceptional summit under the aegis of Ghana’s Vice President H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the AfroChampions Initiative, key African sovereign wealth funds have announced the upcoming creation of an alliance to better support Africa’s development. The objective is to facilitate strategic exchanges between funds, enable them to better share information on their activities and pool their resources for major projects, notably infrastructures.This important announcement follows the publication of the first edition of the African Sovereign Wealth Fund Index, authored by the international advisory firm Konfidants in partnership with the AfroChampions Initiative’s research centre.
