Democratizing Energy Access

According to the World Bank “Financial inclusion means that individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs, delivered in a responsible and sustainable way”. Current estimates show about ~55% of Africa’s population is unbanked and ~40% are living in poverty. Fortunately, novel financial technologies and innovative banking systems have begun to revolutionize this dynamic in recent times. This panel will explore three main themes: 1) What does financial inclusion mean in Africa, who exactly has been excluded historically and why is it important to bring them in? 2) What is the responsibility of industry participants to drive financial inclusion and help lift the continent out of poverty? 3) What does the future of Financial Inclusion in Africa look like?

African agriculture is at once an immense challenge and opportunity. With proper investments, we could increase production by hundreds of billions of dollars annually, with equal potential in processing and retail. The continent closed 150 agtech funding deals for $482.3M in 2021, but much more is needed. Come join Africa’s foremost agri investors, agtech entrepreneurs, and downstream and upstream operators as they outline how to realize the sector’s potential via better business models, talent and investment.